[Expression characteristics of SDF-1 receptor CXCR4 in mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cord...

The purpose of this study was to explore the expression characteristics of SDF-1 receptor, CXCR4, in mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) of different passages derived from human umbilical cord (hucMSC). The hucMSC were isolated from Wharton's jelly tissue of human umbilical cord by tissue culture. The expressions of specific marker in hucMSC were detected by flow cytometry. The adipogenic and osteogenic induction of hucMSC were detected by alizarin bordeaux and Oil red O staining. The expressions of CXCR4 protein in hucMSC of 2nd-5th passages were detected by flow cytometry, and cxcr4 mRNA levels in hucMSC of 2nd-5th passages were evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR. The results showed that the expression of CD44, CD13, CD71 were positive while CD38, CD117, HLA-DR were negative. After induced by osteogenic and adipogenic inductors, the lipid droplets and calcium nodals appeared in hucMSC, hucMSC stained with oil red O and alizarin red were shown to be positive. The cxcr4 was found in hucMSC of 2nd-5th passages, and their expressions were (89.82 ± 0.62)%, (86.87 ± 1.32)%, (80.50 ± 4.46)%, (70.10 ± 0.68)% respectively. The cxcr4 mRNA was found in hucMSC of 2nd-5th passages, and expression of cxcr4 of 3rd-5th passages were 0.5585 ± 00875, 0.6205 ± 0.1377, 0.4634 ± 0.0447 times of expression of 2nd passage respectively. It is concluded that the cxcr4 mRNA expresses in hucMSC of 2nd-5th passages, and declines when the number of passages increases. Compared with 2nd passage, cxcr4 mRNA levels in hucMSC of 3rd-5th passages decline, but the expression level of cxcr4 mRNA between hucMSC of 3rd-5th passages is stable.