Wnt/β-catenin signaling mediates the abnormal osteogenic and adipogenic capabilities of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from chronic graft-versus-host disease patients

Cell Death Dis. 2021 Mar 23;12(4):308. doi: 10.1038/s41419-021-03570-6.

Abstract

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is the main cause of non-relapse mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in bone marrow (BM) remain unclear in the pathophysiology of cGVHD. In this study, we analyzed BM-MSCs from 66 patients after allo-HSCT, including 33 with active cGVHD and 33 without cGVHD. BM-MSCs showed similar morphology, frequency, phenotype, and proliferation in patients with or without cGVHD. MSCs from the active cGVHD group showed a decreased apoptosis rate (P < 0.01). Osteogenic capacity was increased while adipogenic capacity was decreased in the active cGVHD MSCs compared with no-cGVHD MSCs. The expressions of osteogenic gene RUNX2 and COL1A1 were higher (P < 0.001) while adipogenic gene PPAR-γ and FABP4 were lower (P < 0.001) in the active cGVHD MSCs than no-cGVHD MSCs. These changes were associated with the severity of cGVHD (P < 0.0001; r = 0.534, r = 0.476, r = -0.796, and r = -0.747, respectively in RUNX2, COL1A1, PPAR-γ, and FABP4). The expression of Wnt/β-catenin pathway ligand Wnt3a was increased in cGVHD-MSCs. The dysfunction of cGVHD-MSCs could be reversed by Dickkopf related protein 1(DKK1) to inhibit the binding of Wnt3a. In summary, the differentiation of BM-MSCs was abnormal in active cGVHD, and its underlying mechanism is the upregulated of Wnt3a through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway of MSCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bone Marrow Cells / immunology*
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Chronic Disease
  • Graft vs Host Disease / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / immunology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / genetics*
  • Young Adult
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • beta Catenin