Extracellular purines promote the differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to the osteogenic and adipogenic lineages.

ABSTRACT: Extracellular nucleotides are potent signaling molecules mediating cell-specific biological functions, mostly within the processes of tissue damage and repair and flogosis. We previously demonstrated that adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) inhibits the proliferation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-hMSCs), while stimulating, in vitro and in vivo, their migration. Here, we investigated the effects of ATP on BM-hMSC differentiation capacity. Molecular analysis showed that ATP treatment modulated the expression of several genes governing adipogenic and osteoblastic (i.e., WNT-pathway-related genes) differentiation of MSCs. Functional studies demonstrated that ATP, under specific culture conditions, stimulated adipogenesis by significantly increasing the lipid accumulation

SUBMITTER: Ciciarello M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3608030 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature