Project description:Extracellular membrane vesicles (EVs) function as vehicles of intercellular communication in autocrine or paracrine manner. We report that cancer-derived EV biomaterials reach nuclei of human melanoma and breast carcinoma cells and multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) through Rab7+ late endosome subdomains that penetrate into nuclear envelope invaginations. MSCs were exposed to cancer Evs in the presence or absence of drugs that block nucler import or export through the nuclear pores. Depletion of CD9 or inhibition of importin β1, two EV-associated molecules, abrogated the nuclear localization of EV-derived biomaterials and EV-induced early changes in MSC transcriptome notably in genes involved in inflammation. Also inhibition of nuclear export by leptomycin B inhibited early changes in MSC transcriptome. This novel cellular pathway may become a cancer therapeutic target.
Project description:Phenotypic changes induced by extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been implicated in the recovery of acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). miRNAs are potential candidates for cell reprogramming towards a pro-regenerative phenotype. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether miRNA de-regulation inhibits the regenerative potential of MSCs and derived-EVs in a model of glycerol-induced AKI in SCID mice. For this purpose, we generated MSCs depleted of Drosha, a critical enzyme of miRNA maturation, to alter miRNA expression within MSCs and EVs. Drosha knock-down MSCs (MSC-Dsh) maintained the phenotype and differentiation capacity. They produced EVs that did not differ from those of wild type cells in quantity, surface molecule expression and internalization within renal tubular epithelial cells. However, EVs derived from MSC-Dsh (EV-Dsh) showed global down-regulation of miRNAs. Whereas, wild type MSCs and derived EVs were able to induce morphological and functional recovery in AKI, MSC-Dsh and EV-Dsh were ineffective. RNA sequencing analysis showed that genes deregulated in the kidney of AKI mice were restored by treatment with MSCs and EVs but not by MSC-Dsh and EV-Dsh. Gene Ontology analysis showed that down-regulated genes in AKI were associated with fatty acid metabolism. The up-regulated genes in AKI were involved in inflammation, ECM-receptor interaction and cell adhesion molecules. These alterations were reverted by treatment with wild type MSCs and EVs, but not by the Drosha counterparts. In conclusion, miRNA depletion in MSCs and EVs significantly reduced their intrinsic regenerative potential in AKI, suggesting a critical role of miRNAs. RNA-seq
Project description:Treatment of graft failure after allogeneic stem cell transplantation with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) is being evaluated clinically. MSC can exert their functions by the release of extracellular vesicles (EV). Our aim is to analyze changes induced in hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) after the incorporation of MSC-EV. MSC were isolated from healthy donors. MSC-EV were isolated by ultracentrifugation and characterized by flow cytometry (FC), Western-blot, electron microscopy and Nanosight. EV incorporation into HSC was analyzed by FC and confocal microscopy. To study HSC gene expression, RT-PCR and arrays were performed. Apoptosis and cell cycle were evaluated by FC and clonal growth by clonogenic assays in methylcellulose. The engraftment capacity of HSC was analyzed four weeks after transplantation in NOD-SCID mice. Our results showed that MSC-EV presented the characteristic morphology, size and inmunophenotype and were able to be incorporated into HSC. MSC-EV incorporation induced an a down-regulation of pro-apoptotic genes, an overexpression of genes involved in colony formation and cell proliferation together with an activation of the JAK-STAT pathway in HSC. A significant decrease in apoptosis (p=0.001), an increase of the percentage of cells in phase S and an increased CD44 expression (p=0.013) were confirmed by FC in HSC with MSC-EV. In addition, these HSC displayed a higher CFU-GM clonogenic potential (p=0.010). Finally, in the xenotransplantation model, the engraftment ability of human HSC with MSC-EV was significantly higher (p= 0.027). In summary, the incorporation of MSC-EV induces genomic and functional changes in HSC, increasing their clonogenic capacity and their engraftment ability.
Project description:Extracellular vesicles (EVs) harvested from conditioned media of human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) suppress acute inflammation in various disease models and promote regeneration of damaged tissues. Following successful treatment of an acute steroid-refractory Graft-versus-Host disease (GvHD) patient with EVs prepared from conditioned media of human bone marrow-derived MSCs, we focus on improving the MSC-EV production for the clinical application. Independent MSC-EV preparations all produced according to a standardized procedure, reveal broad immunomodulatory differences. Only a proportion of our MSC-EV products effectively modulate immune responses in a multi-donor mixed lymphocyte reaction (mdMLR) assay. To explore the relevance of such differences, we have established an optimized mouse GvHD model. The functional testing of selected MSC-EV preparations demonstrate that MSC-EV preparations revealing immunomodulatory capabilities in the mdMLR assay also effectively suppress GvHD symptoms in this model. In contrast, MSC-EV preparations, lacking such in vitro activities, also fail to modulate GvHD symptoms in vivo. Searching for differences of the active and inactive MSC-EV preparations, we failed to identify concrete proteins or miRNAs that could serve as surrogate markers. Thus, standardized MSC-EV production strategies may not be sufficient to warrant manufacturing of MSC-EV products with reproducible qualities. Consequently, given this functional heterogeneity, every individual MSC-EV preparation considered for the clinical application should be evaluated for its therapeutic potency prior to administration to patients. Here, we qualified the mdMLR assay for such analyses.
Project description:Extracellular vesicles (EVs) of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in various studies have shown a wide range of cytoprotective effects, including neuroprotective ones. It is important to note that the therapeutic effect of EVs is observed regardless of the tissue from which MSCs were isolated. However, the mechanisms of the neuroprotective action of extracellular vesicles remain elusive. It is assumed that the proteins contained in EVs could make the main contribution to the therapeutic effects of EVs. The aim of this work was to study protein composition of EV obtained from MSCs in conjunction with the experiments on neuroprotective properties and mechanisms of the neuroprotective effects of EVs-MSC in in vitro and in vivo models of acute neurological diseases.
Project description:Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are characterized by a regulatory phenotype and respond promptly to the environmental signals modulating their secretory activity. An appropriate preconditioning may induce MSCs to release secretomes with an enhanced regenerative potential. However, it fails to take into account that secretomes are composed by both soluble factors and extracellular vesicles (EVs), whose functions could be altered differently by the preconditioning approach. Here we demonstrate that the MSC secretome is strongly modulated by the simultaneous stimulation with hypoxia and pro-inflammatory cytokines, used to mimic the harsh environment present at the site of injury. The cargo content (in terms of miRNAs) of the corresponding EV fractions was less sensitive to the influence of the external stimuli.
Project description:Primary epithelial cells isolated from fetal lungs of rat fetuses with or without lung hypoplasia induced by the administration of nitrofen to pregnant rats. Control group included epithelial cells from normal fetal lungs. Treatment with amniotic fluid stem cell derived extracellular vesicles or with mesenchymal stromal cell derived exosomes, RNA-seq of both cargos included.
Project description:We investigate the therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEVs), a potent immune-modulating therapy for tissue regeneration, in repairing optic nerve damage. Intraocular administration of MSC-sEVs promotes both RGC survival and axon regeneration against optic nerve crush injury. Mechanistically, MSC-sEVs recruits a neural restorative population of hematogenous Ly6Clow monocyte/monocyte-derived macrophage (Mo/MΦ). Gain-of-function by intravitreal administration of the donor Ly6Clow Mo/MΦ markedly improves neurological outcomes in vivo. We then performed gene expression profiling analysis using data obtained from RNA-seq of 4 different cells at two time points.
Project description:Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have emerged as potent therapeutic tool for a number of pathologies, including immune ones. However, unwelcome effects of MSC on the blood coagulation were revealed in some cases, which require more in-depth analysis. In this study, we explored the trombotic properties of human MSC from umbilical cord. We revealed strong procoagulant effects of umbilical cord MSC toward human and rat whole blood and platelets-free plasma using rotational thromboelastometry and thrombodynamics tests. The similar potentiation of clotting was demonstrated for MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EV). In order to suggest approaches to avoid unwanted effects we studied the impact of heparin supplement on MSC/EV procoagulation properties. We found that therapeutic doses of unfractionated heparin injected in the patient's blood (administered in vivo) did not abrogate the procoagulant properties of MSC. Mass-spectrometry analysis of proteins of MSC and EV involved in coagulation-associated pathways was used to evaluate mechanisms of protrombotic effects.