Osteoblasts are a key component of the endosteal hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche and are recognized with strong hematopoietic supporting activity. Similarly, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC)-derived osteoblast (M-OST) conditioned media (OCM) enhances the growth of hematopoietic progenitors in culture and modulate their engraftment activity. We aimed to characterize the hematopoietic supporting activity of OCM by comparing the secretome of M-OST to that of their precursor. Over 300 proteins were quantified by mass spectroscopy in media conditioned with MSC or M-OST, with 47 being differentially expressed. Included were growth factors, extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and proteins from the complement pathways. The functional contribution of selected proteins on the growth and differentiation of cord blood (CB) progenitors was tested. Secreted Protein Acidic and Rich in Cysteine (SPARC) and Galectin 3 (Gal3) had little impact on the growth of CB cells in serum-free medium (SFM). In contrast, inhibition of the complement 3 A receptor (C3a-R) present on CB progenitors significantly reduced the growth of CD34+ cells in OCM cultures but not in SFM. These results provide new insights into changes in factors released by MSC undergoing osteoblast differentiation, and on paracrine factors that are partially responsible for the hematopoietic supporting activity of osteoblasts. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Keywords: mesenchymal stromal cells; osteoblasts; proliferation; secretome; stem cells.
This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.