Title:Overexpression of Pygo2 Increases Differentiation of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Cardiomyocyte-like Cells
Volume: 20
Issue: 4
Author(s): Lei Yang, Shuoji Zhu, Yongqing Li, Jian Zhuang, Jimei Chen, Huanlei Huang, Yu Chen, Yulin Wen, Yao Wen, Huiming Guo, Xiongwei Fan, Wuzhou Yuan, Zhigang Jiang*, Yuequn Wang*, Xiushan Wu*Ping Zhu*
Affiliation:
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, Key Laboratory of MOE for Development Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081,China
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, Key Laboratory of MOE for Development Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081,China
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, Key Laboratory of MOE for Development Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081,China
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510100,China
Keywords:
Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, pygo2, overexpression, differentiation, cardiomyocytes,
Nkx2.5, SOX2.
Abstract:
Background: Our previous studies have shown that Pygo (Pygopus) in Drosophila plays
a critical role in adult heart function that is likely conserved in mammals. However, its role in the
differentiation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) into cardiomyocytes
remains unknown.
Objective: To investigate the role of pygo2 in the differentiation of hUC-MSCs into cardiomyocytes.
Methods: Third passage hUC-MSCs were divided into two groups: a p+ group infected with the
GV492-pygo2 virus and a p− group infected with the GV492 virus. After infection and 3 or 21 days
of incubation, Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect pluripotency
markers, including OCT-4 and SOX2. Nkx2.5, Gata-4 and cTnT were detected by immunofluorescence
at 7, 14 and 21 days post-infection, respectively. Expression of cardiac-related
genes—including Nkx2.5, Gata-4, TNNT2, MEF2c, ISL-1, FOXH1, KDR, αMHC and α-Actin—were
analyzed by qRT-PCR following transfection with the virus at one, two and three weeks.
Results: After three days of incubation, there were no significant changes in the expression of the
pluripotency stem cell markers OCT-4 and SOX2 in the p+ group hUC-MSCs relative to controls
(OCT-4: 1.03 ± 0.096 VS 1, P > 0.05, SOX2: 1.071 ± 0.189 VS 1, P > 0.05); however, after 21
days, significant decreases were observed (OCT-4: 0.164 ± 0.098 VS 1, P < 0.01, SOX2: 0.209 ±
0.109 VS 1, P < 0.001). Seven days following incubation, expression of mesoderm specialisation
markers, such as Nkx2.5, Gata-4, MEF2c and KDR, were increased; at 14 days following
incubation, expression of cardiac genes, such as Nkx2.5, Gata-4, TNNT2, MEF2c, ISL-1, FOXH1,
KDR, αMHC and α-Actin, were significantly upregulated in the p+ group relative to the p− group (P
< 0.05). Taken together, these findings suggest that overexpression of pygo2 results in more hUCMSCs
gradually differentiating into cardiomyocyte-like cells.
Conclusion: We are the first to show that overexpression of pygo2 significantly enhances the
expression of cardiac-genic genes, including Nkx2.5 and Gata-4, and promotes the differentiation of
hUC-MSCs into cardiomyocyte-like cells.
