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Molecular Analysis of Endothelial-mesenchymal Transition Induced by Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling
Published on: August 3, 2018
Cyclic mechanical strain promotes transforming-growth-factor-beta1-mediated cardiomyogenic marker expression in
Suk Ho Bhang1, So-Jung Gwak, Tae-Jin Lee
1School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 151-744, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Cardiomyocytes in the heart reside in mechanically dynamic environments, such as those subject to cyclic mechanical strain. TGF-beta1 (transforming growth factor-beta1) stimulates cardiomyogenic marker expression of BMMSCs (bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells). In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that cyclic mechanical strain promotes TGF-beta1-mediated cardiomyogenic marker expression in BMMSCs in vitro. The mRNA expression of cardiac-specific genes was more up-regulated in BMMSCs cultured with a TGF-beta1 supplement and subjected to cyclic strain for 1 week than in BMMSCs cultured statically with a TGF-beta1 supplement. Immunocytochemical analyses and flow cytometric analysis showed that the proportions of cardiac troponin-I-positive cells and cardiac MHC (myosin heavy chain)-positive cells and the proportions of cells expressing tropomyosin respectively were increased to a greater extent by TGF-beta1with cyclic strain than by TGF-beta1 alone. These results showed that cyclic strain promotes TGF-beta1mediated cardiomyogenic marker expression in BMMSCs in vitro.

