Real-Time H₂ O₂ Measurements in Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) Show Increased Antioxidant Capacity in...

Oxidative stress (OS) derived from an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a major determinant of aging and lifespan. It has also been associated with several age-related disorders, like postmenopausal osteoporosis of Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs are the common precursors for osteoblasts and adipocytes; appropriate commitment and differentiation of MSCs into a specific phenotype is modulated, among other factors, by ROS balance. MSCs have shown more resistance to ROS than differentiated cells, and their redox status depends on complex and abundant anti-oxidant mechanisms. The purpose of this work was to analyze in real time, H₂ O₂ signaling in individual h-MSCs, and to compare the kinetic parameters of H₂ O₂ management by cells derived from both control (c-) and osteoporotic (o-) women. For these purposes, cells were infected with a genetically encoded fluorescent biosensor named HyPer, which is specific for detecting H₂ O₂ inside living cells. Subsequently, cells were sequentially challenged with 50 and 500 μM H₂ O₂ pulses, and the cellular response was recorded in real time. The results demonstrated adequate expression of the biosensor allowing registering fluorescence from HyPer at a single cell level. Comparison of the response of c- and o-MSCs to the oxidant challenges demonstrated improved antioxidant activity in o-MSCs. This was further corroborated by measuring the relative expression of mRNAs for catalase, superoxide dismutase-1, thioredoxine, and peroxiredoxine, as well as by cell-surviving capacity under short-term H₂ O₂ treatment. We conclude that functional differences exist between healthy and osteoporotic human MSCs. The mechanism for these differences requires further study. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 585-593, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.