Dental tissue has been acknowledged as an advantaged source for high-quality dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) preparation. However, despite the accomplishment of the separation of DPSCs from permanent teeth and supernumerary teeth, the deficiency of rigorous and systematic clarification on the signatures and efficacy will hinder their prospects in regenerative medicine. In this study, we primitively isolated permanent teeth-derived DPSCs and supernumerary teeth-derived apical papillary stem cells (SCAP-Ss) with parental consent. Immunophenotype of DPSCs and SCAP-Ss was determined by a flow cytometry assay, and the cell viability was verified by multidimensional detections including cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and senescence. The migration and clonogenic capacity were examined by a wound healing test and crystal violet staining, respectively. The multilineage differentiation potential was quantitated by utilizing Oil Red O staining and Alizarin Red staining, together with real-time PCR analysis. The efficacy on a mouse hepatic fibrosis model was evaluated by using histologic sections and liver function tests. Herein, we showed that SCAP-Ss exhibited comparable immunophenotype and adipogenic differentiation capacity as DPSCs. However, different from DPSCs, SCAP-Ss exhibited superiority in cell viability and osteogenic differentiation. Simultaneously, injection of DPSCs and SCAP-Ss significantly reduced inflammatory infiltration, enhanced liver-associated gene expression, and finally relieved symptoms of hepatic fibrosis. In conclusion, SCAP-Ss possess preferable characteristics and efficacy on hepatic fibrosis in mice. Our findings suggest that SCAP-Ss are an easily accessible postnatal stem cell source with multifaceted characteristics for regenerative medicine. View Publication

BACKGROUND Recent studies have suggested that both poly(l-lactide-co-1,5-dioxepan-2-one) (or poly(LLA-co-DXO)) and poly(l-lactide-co-$\epsilon$-caprolactone) (or poly(LLA-co-CL)) porous scaffolds are good candidates for use as biodegradable scaffold materials in the field of tissue engineering; meanwhile, their surface properties, such as hydrophilicity, need to be further improved. METHODS We applied several different concentrations of the surfactant Tween 80 to tune the hydrophilicity of both materials. Moreover, the modification was applied not only in the form of solid scaffold as a film but also a porous scaffold. To investigate the potential application for tissue engineering, human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were chosen to test the effect of hydrophilicity on cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. First, the cellular cytotoxicity of the extracted medium from modified scaffolds was investigated on HaCaT cells. Then, hMSCs were seeded on the scaffolds or films to evaluate cell attachment, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation. The results indicated a significant increasing of wettability with the addition of Tween 80, and the hMSCs showed delayed attachment and spreading. PCR results indicated that the differentiation of hMSCs was stimulated, and several osteogenesis related genes were up-regulated in the 3{\%} Tween 80 group. Poly(LLA-co-CL) with 3{\%} Tween 80 showed an increased messenger Ribonucleic acid (mRNA) level of late-stage markers such as osteocalcin (OC) and key transcription factor as runt related gene 2 (Runx2). CONCLUSION A high hydrophilic scaffold may speed up the osteogenic differentiation for bone tissue engineering. View Publication

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is life-threatening, for which efficient nonsurgical treatment strategy has not been available so far. Several previous studies investigating the therapeutic effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in AAA indicated that MSCs could inhibit aneurysmal inflammatory responses and extracellular matrix destruction, and suppress aneurysm occurrence and expansion. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic plasticity is reported to be predisposed in AAA initiation and progression. However, little is known about the effect of MSCs on VSMC phenotypic modulation in AAA. In this study, we investigate the therapeutic efficacy of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) in elastase-induced AAA model and evaluate the effect of UC-MSC on VSMC phenotypic regulation. We demonstrate that the intravenous injection of UC-MSC attenuates elastase-induced aneurysmal expansion, reduces elastin degradation and fragmentation, inhibits MMPs and TNF-$\alpha$ expression, and preserves and/or restores VSMC contractile phenotype in AAA. Taken together, these results highlight the therapeutic and VSMC phenotypic modulation effects of UC-MSC in AAA progression, which further indicates the potential of applying UC-MSC as an alternative treatment candidate for AAA. View Publication

Increasing occurrence of moderate to severe intrauterine adhesion (IUA) is seriously affecting the quality of human life. The aim of the study was to establish IUA models in nonhuman primates and to explore the dual repair effects of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (huMSCs) loaded on autocrosslinked hyaluronic acid gel (HA-GEL) on endometrial damage and adhesion. Here, we recorded the menstrual cycle data in detail with uterine cavities observed and endometrial tissues detected after intervention, and the thicker endometria, decreased amount of fibrotic formation, increased number of endometrium glands, etc., suggested that both HA-GEL and huMSC/HA-GEL complexes could partially repair IUA caused by mechanical injury, but huMSC/HA-GEL complex transplantation had notable dual repair effects: a reliable antiadhesion property and the promotion of endometrial regeneration. View Publication

Aim To analyse the ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to regulate interleukin 6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor (TGF-$\beta$) expression in vitro under co-culture conditions in human systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Method This study used a post-test group design that used peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from SLE patients at Kariadi Hospital, Semarang, Indonesia, and MSCs from a human umbilical cord. The cells were divided into two groups. The control group of PBMCs was treated with a standard medium, and the treatment group was co-cultured with the MSCs at a 1:40 ratio. Following 24 h incubation, the levels of IL-6 and TGF-$\beta$ released in the culture medium were measured using a specific ELISA assay. Results This study showed a significant decrease in IL-6 level (p{\textless}0.05) and a significant increase in TGF-$\beta$ level (p{\textless}0.001) following 24 h of co-culture incubation of human SLE PBMCs cells and MSCs. Conclusion The PBMCs-to-MSCs ratio of 1:40 can regulate the IL-6 and TGF-$\beta$ levels in human SLE PBMCs. View Publication

mTORC1 regulates cellular growth and is activated by growth factors and by essential amino acids such as Leu. Leu enters cells via the Leu transporter LAT1-4F2hc (LAT1). Here we show that the Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter NKCC1 (SLC12A2), a known regulator of cell volume, is present in complex with LAT1. We further show that NKCC1 depletion or deletion enhances LAT1 activity, as well as activation of Akt and Erk, leading to activation of mTORC1 in cells, colonic organoids, and mouse colon. Moreover, NKCC1 depletion reduces intracellular Na+ concentration and cell volume (size) and mass and stimulates cell proliferation. NKCC1, therefore, suppresses mTORC1 by inhibiting its key activating signaling pathways. Importantly, by linking ion transport and cell volume regulation to mTORC1 function, NKCC1 provides a long-sought link connecting cell volume (size) to cell mass regulation. View Publication

BACKGROUND Vascularization is important for the clinical application of tissue engineered products. Both adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) and surgical prefabrication can be used to induce angiogenesis in scaffolds. Our aim was to compare the angiogenic potential of ASC-seeded scaffolds combined with scaffold prefabrication with that of non-seeded, non-prefabricated scaffolds. METHODS For prefabrication, functional blood vessels were introduced into the scaffold using a flow-through pedicle system. ASCs were isolated from rat fat deposits. Three-dimensional-printed cylindrical poly-$\epsilon$-caprolactone scaffolds were fabricated by fused deposition modelling. Three groups, each containing six rats, were investigated by using non-seeded, ASC-seeded, and osteogenic induced ASC-seeded scaffolds. In each group, one rat was implanted with two scaffolds in the inguinal region. On the right side, a scaffold was implanted subcutaneously around the inferior epigastric vessels (classic prefabrication group). On the left side, the inferior epigastric vessels were placed inside the prefabricated scaffold in the flow-through pedicle system (flow-through prefabrication group). The vessel density and vascular architecture were examined histopathologically and by $\mu$CT imaging, respectively, at 2 months after implantation. RESULTS The mean vessel densities were 10- and 5-fold higher in the ASC-seeded and osteogenic induced ASC-seeded scaffolds with flow-through prefabrication, respectively, than in the non-seeded classic prefabricated group (p {\textless} 0.001). $\mu$CT imaging revealed functional vessels within the scaffold. CONCLUSION ASC-seeded scaffolds with prefabrication showed significantly improved scaffold vasculogenesis and could be useful for application to tissue engineering products in the clinical settings. View Publication

The complex process of platelet formation originates with the hematopoietic stem cell, which differentiates through the myeloid lineage, matures, and releases proplatelets into the BM sinusoids. How formed platelets maintain a low basal activation state in the circulation remains unknown. We identify Lepr+ stromal cells lining the BM sinusoids as important contributors to sustaining low platelet activation. Ablation of murine Lepr+ cells led to a decreased number of platelets in the circulation with an increased activation state. We developed a potentially novel culture system for supporting platelet formation in vitro using a unique population of CD51+PDGFRalpha+ perivascular cells, derived from human umbilical cord tissue, which display numerous mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) properties. Megakaryocytes cocultured with MSCs had altered LAT and Rap1b gene expression, yielding platelets that are functional with low basal activation levels, a critical consideration for developing a transfusion product. Identification of a regulatory cell that maintains low baseline platelet activation during thrombopoiesis opens up new avenues for improving blood product production ex vivo. View Publication

Acute inflammatory bowel disease (AIBD) is a wide clinical entity including severe gastrointestinal pathologies with common histopathological basis. Epidemiologically increasing diseases, such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), gastrointestinal graft versus host disease (GVHD), and the primary acute phase of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (CIBD), exhibit a high necessity for new therapeutic strategies. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) cellular therapy represents a promising option for the treatment of these diseases. In our study, we comparatively assess the efficacy of human MSCs derived from bone marrow (BM), umbilical cord blood (UCB), human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), or human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in a mouse model of chemically induced acute enterocolitis. The laboratory animals were provided ad libitum potable dextrane sulfate sodium solution (DSS) in order to reproduce an AIBD model and then individually exposed intraperitoneally to MSCs derived from BM (BM-MSCs), UCB (UCB-MSCs), ESCs (ESC-MSCs), or iPSCs (iPSC-MSCs). The parameters used to evaluate the cellular treatment efficacy were the animal survival prolongation and the histopathological-macroscopic picture of bowel sections. Although all categories of mesenchymal stem cells led to statistically significant survival prolongation compared to the control group, significant clinical and histopathological improvement was observed only in mice receiving BM-MSCs and UCB-MSCs. Our results demonstrated that the in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of ESC-MSCs and iPSC-MSCs was inferior to that of UCB-MSCs and BM-MSCs. Further investigation will clarify the potential of ESCs and iPSC-derived MSCs in AIBD treatment. View Publication