DFO and DMOG up-regulate the expression of CXCR4 in bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells

The C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a receptor of the chemokine stromal cell-derived factor 1. CXCR4/stromal cell-derived factor 1 is essential to the migration of cells. Up-regulated expression of chemokines or their receptors is crucial to enhancing the migration capability of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) so that their application in treatment can be optimized. The objective of this study was to determine whether desferrioxamine (1,8-diazafluoren-9-one; DFO) and dimethyloxaloylglycine (DMOG) upregulate the expression of CXCR4 in BM-MSCs. Western blot analysis was used to study the expression of CXCR4 in three groups: DFO group, DMOG group, and control group. Immunofluorescence was also used to determine whether CXCR4 exists in the membrane of BM-MSCs.

Compared with that in the control group, the expression of CXCR4 was upregulated in the DFO group. Meanwhile, 500 and 1000 microM DMOG exhibited similar effects on CXCR4. Western blot analysis revealed that the two reagents are correlated with the upregulation of CXCR4 in a dose-dependent manner, whereas immunofluorescence demonstrated that CXCR4 exists in the membrane. In conclusion, DFO and DMOG upregulate the expression of CXCR4, their effects are dose dependent, and CXCR4 is distributed in the membrane of BM-MSCs.