A comparative study of the capacity of mesenchymal stromal cell lines to form spheroids

PLoS One. 2020 Jun 2;15(6):e0225485. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225485. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC)-spheroid models favor maintenance of stemness, ex vivo expansion and transplantation efficacy. Spheroids may also be considered as useful surrogate models of the hematopoietic niche. However, accessibility to primary cells, from bone marrow (BM) or adipose tissues, may limit their experimental use and the lack of consistency in methods to form spheroids may affect data interpretation. In this study, we aimed to create a simple model by examining the ability of cell lines, from human (HS-27a and HS-5) and murine (MS-5) BM origins, to form spheroids, compared to primary human MSCs (hMSCs). Our protocol efficiently allowed the spheroid formation from all cell types within 24 hours. Whilst hMSC-spheroids began to shrink after 24 hours, the size of spheroids from cell lines remained constant during three weeks. The difference was partially explained by the balance between proliferation and cell death, which could be triggered by hypoxia and induced oxidative stress. Our results demonstrate that, like hMSCs, MSC cell lines make reproductible spheroids that are easily handled. Thus, this model could help in understanding mechanisms involved in MSC functions and may provide a simple model by which to study cell interactions in the BM niche.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Aggregation
  • Cell Death
  • Cell Dedifferentiation
  • Cell Hypoxia
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Humans
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Mice
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Spheroids, Cellular / cytology*

Grants and funding

The authors acknowledge the Ministry of Research (MD), the ARC Foundation (MD, HD), the French Society of Hematology (MD), the “Ligue contre le Cancer (NS)”, and the Lebanese south governate (HD) for their funding. This work was supported by the French Committees of the “Ligue Contre le Cancer Grand-Ouest” [16 (Charente), 36 (Indre), 37 (Indre-et-Loire), 41 (Loire et Cher), and 86 (Vendée)] and the Région Centre Val de Loire (FM). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.