Similarities and differences between porcine mandibular and limb bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Arch Oral Biol. 2017 May:77:1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2017.01.012. Epub 2017 Jan 20.

Abstract

Objective: Research has shown promise of using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) for craniofacial bone regeneration; yet little is known about the differences of BMSCs from limb and craniofacial bones. This study compared pig mandibular and tibia BMSCs for their in vitro proliferation, osteogenic differentiation properties and gene expression.

Design: Bone marrow was aspirated from the tibia and mandible of 3-4 month-old pigs (n=4), followed by BMSC isolation, culture-expansion and characterization by flow cytometry. Proliferation rates were assessed using population doubling times. Osteogenic differentiation was evaluated by alkaline phosphatase activity. Affymetrix porcine microarray was used to compare gene expressions of tibial and mandibular BMSCs, followed by real-time RT-PCR evaluation of certain genes.

Results: Our results showed that BMSCs from both locations expressed MSC markers but not hematopoietic markers. The proliferation and osteogenic differentiation potential of mandibular BMSCs were significantly stronger than those of tibial BMSCs. Microarray analysis identified 404 highly abundant genes, out of which 334 genes were matched between the two locations and annotated into the same functional groups including osteogenesis and angiogenesis, while 70 genes were mismatched and annotated into different functional groups. In addition, 48 genes were differentially expressed by at least 1.5-fold difference between the two locations, including higher expression of cranial neural crest-related gene BMP-4 in mandibular BMSCs, which was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR.

Conclusions: Altogether, these data indicate that despite strong similarities in gene expression between mandibular and tibial BMSCs, mandibular BMSCs express some genes differently than tibial BMSCs and have a phenotypic profile that may make them advantageous for craniofacial bone regeneration.

Keywords: BMP-4; Craniofacial bone regeneration; DNA microarray; Marrow stromal cells; Osteogenesis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow Cells / metabolism
  • Bone Marrow Cells / physiology*
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Expression
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Mandible / cytology*
  • Mandible / metabolism
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / physiology*
  • Microarray Analysis
  • Nestin / metabolism
  • Osteogenesis / physiology
  • Phenotype
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Swine
  • Tibia / cytology*
  • Tibia / metabolism
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
  • Nestin