Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells differentiated into hepatocyte-like cells in vivo and in vitro

Cell‑based therapy is a potential alternative to liver transplantation. The goal of the present study was to examine the in vivo and in vitro hepatic differentiation potential of adipose tissue‑derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT‑MSCs) and to explore its therapeutic use. AT‑MSCs were isolated and cultured with hepatic differentiation medium. Bioactivity assays were used to study the properties of AT‑MSCs. The morphology of differentiated AT‑MSCs in serum‑free hepatic differentiation medium changed into polygonal epithelial cells, while the morphology of AT‑MSCs in a similar medium containing 2% fetal bovine serum remained unchanged. The differentiated cells cultured without serum showed hepatocyte‑like cell morphology and hepatocyte‑specific markers, including albumin (ALB) and α‑fetoprotein. The bioactivity assays revealed that hepatocyte‑like cells could take up low‑density lipoprotein (LDL) and store glycogen. Furthermore, trichostatin A (TSA) enhanced ALB production and LDL uptake by the hepatocyte‑like cells, analogous to the functions of human liver cells. ALB was detected in the livers of the CCl4‑injured mice one month post‑transplantation. This suggested that transplantation of the human AT‑MSCs could relieve the impairment of acute CCl4‑injured livers in nude mice. This therefore implied that adipose tissue was a source of multipotent stem cells which had the potential to differentiate into mature, transplantable hepatocyte‑like cells in vivo and in vitro. In addition, the present study determined that TSA was essential to promoting differentiation of human MSC towards functional hepatocyte‑like cells. The relief of liver injury following treatment with AT‑MSCs suggested their potential as a novel therapeutic method for liver disorders or injury.