Mitochondrial activity of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells

Blaise M Cozene; Eleonora Russo; Rita Anzalone; Giampiero La Rocca; Cesario V Borlongan

doi:10.4103/bc.bc_15_21

Mitochondrial activity of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells

Brain Circ. 2021 Mar 30;7(1):33-36. doi: 10.4103/bc.bc_15_21. eCollection 2021 Jan-Mar.

Authors

Blaise M Cozene¹, Eleonora Russo², Rita Anzalone³, Giampiero La Rocca², Cesario V Borlongan⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
² Department of Biomedicine, Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
³ Department of Surgical, Oncological and Stomatological Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
⁴ Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.

Abstract

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) serve as a potential cell-based therapy for degenerative disease. They provide immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, multipotent differentiation potential and are harvested with no ethical concern. It is unknown whether MSCs collected from different areas of the human umbilical cord elicit more favorable effects than others. Three MSC populations were harvested from various regions of the human umbilical cord: cord lining (CL-MSCs), perivascular region (PV-MSCs), and Wharton's jelly (WJ-MSCs). Mesenchymal markers (CD90 and CD73) were expressed by all three cell populations. Stemness marker (OCT4), endothelial cell adhesion molecular marker (CD146), and monocyte-macrophage marker (CD14) were expressed by WJ-MSCs, PV-MSCs, and CL-MSCs, respectively. Stroke presents with oxygen and glucose deprivation and leads to dysfunctional mitochondria and consequently cell death. Targeting the restoration of mitochondrial function in the stroke brain through mitochondrial transfer may be effective in treating stroke. In vitro exposure to ambient and OGD conditions resulted in CL-MSCs number decreasing the least post-OGD/R exposure, and PV-MSCs exhibiting the greatest mitochondrial activity. All three hUC-MSC populations presented similar metabolic activity and survival in normal and pathologic environments. These characteristics indicate hUC-MSCs potential as a potent therapeutic in regenerative medicine.

Keywords: Bioenergetics; Wharton's Jelly; ischemic diseases; mitochondria; stem cell therapy; stroke; umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.

Publication types

Review