Open AccessOverexpression of CD61 promotes hUC‐MSC differentiation into male germ‐like cells
Author(s) -
Li Bo,
Liu Weishuai,
Zhuang Mengru,
Li Na,
Wu Siyu,
Pan Shaohui,
Hua Jinlian
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
cell proliferation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.647
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1365-2184
pISSN - 0960-7722
DOI - 10.1111/cpr.12236
Subject(s) - germ cell , biology , mesenchymal stem cell , stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cell , cellular differentiation , bone morphogenetic protein 4 , andrology , medicine , genetics , gene
Objectives Previous studies have shown that germ‐like cells can be induced from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell ( hUC ‐ MSC s) in vitro . However, induction efficiency was low and a stable system had not been built. CD 61, also called integrin‐β3, plays a significant role in cell differentiation, in that CD 61‐positive‐cell‐derived pluripotent stem cells easily differentiate into primordial germ‐like cells ( PGC ). Here, we have explored whether overexpression of CD 61 would promote hUC ‐ MSC differentiation into PGC and male germ‐like cells. Materials and methods hUC ‐ MSC s were cultured and transduced using pCD 61‐ CAGG ‐ TRIP ‐pur ( oCD 61) and pTRIP ‐ CAGG plasmid (Control), and hUC‐MSCs overexpressed CD61 were induced by bone morphogenetic protein 4 ( BMP 4, 12.5 ng/ml), to differentiate into PGC and male germ cells. Quantitative real‐time PCR ( RT ‐ qPCR ), western blotting and immunofluorescence staining were used to examine PGC ‐ and germ cell‐specific markers. Results High expression levels of PGC ‐specific markers were detected in oCD 61 hUC ‐ MSC s compared to controls. After BMP 4 induction, expression levels of male germ cell markers such as Acrosin (ACR), Prm1 and meiotic markers including Stra8, Scp3 in oCD 61 were significantly higher than those of the Control group. Conclusions Under induction of BMP 4, CD 61‐overexpressing hUC ‐ MSC s, which had turned into PGC ‐like cells, could be further differentiated into male germ‐like cells. Thus, a simple and efficient approach to study male germ cell development by using hUC ‐ MSC s has been established.