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Updated: Mar 17, 2026
In Vitro Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Functional Cardiomyocyte-like Cells
Published on: August 9, 2017
MicroRNA-145-based differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells to smooth muscle cells
Maryam Pajoohesh1,2, Hossein Naderi-Manesh3, Masoud Soleimani4
1Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Objectives:
To investigate the role of microRNA-145, that regulates gene expression of genes related to differentiation, proliferation and the phenotype of smooth muscle cells (SMCs), in the differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) to SMCs.
Results:
Real-time PCR analysis indicated significant upregulation of SMC markers, including SM-α-actin, calponin, caldesmon and SMMHC, in SMCs compared to hBM-MSCs. Conversely, Krüppel-like factor 4, the direct target of microRNA-145 and the suppressor of smooth muscle differentiation, was suppressed in hBM-MSC-derived SMCs. Western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry also confirmed that the introduction of microRNA-145 into hBM-MSCs induced mature contractile SMCs. The functionality of hBM-MSC-derived SMCs was assessed by proliferation assay using PDGF-BB and contractility assay using carbachol. The results showed that the produced SMCs contracted in response to carbachol stimulation.
Conclusion:
Overexpression of microRNA-145 in undifferentiated hBM-MSCs results in functionally mature contractile SMCs that can be used in drug discovery and cell therapy in SMC disorders such as vascular disease.
