ABSTRACT
It is not fully clear why there is a higher contribution of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) to the chimera produced by injection of PSCs into 4-cell or 8-cell stage embryos compared with blastocyst injection. Here, we show that not only embryonic stem cells (ESCs) but also induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can generate F0 nearly 100% donor cell-derived mice by 4-cell stage embryo injection, and the approach has a "dose effect". Through an analysis of the PSC-secreted proteins, Activin A was found to impede epiblast (EPI) lineage development while promoting trophectoderm (TE) differentiation, resulting in replacement of the EPI lineage of host embryos with PSCs. Interestingly, the injection of ESCs into blastocysts cultured with Activin A (cultured from 4-cell stage to early blastocyst at E3.5) could increase the contribution of ESCs to the chimera. The results indicated that PSCs secrete protein Activin A to improve their EPI competency after injection into recipient embryos through influencing the development of mouse early embryos. This result is useful for optimizing the chimera production system and for a deep understanding of PSCs effects on early embryo development.
Subject(s)
Animals , Mice , Activins , Metabolism , Cells, Cultured , Embryonic Development , Germ Layers , Metabolism , Pluripotent Stem Cells , Cell Biology , MetabolismABSTRACT
BACKGROUND Chagas disease is a public health problem caused by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. There is currently no effective therapy for Chagas disease. Although there is some evidence for the beneficial effect of bone marrow-derived cells in chagasic disease, the mechanisms underlying their effects in the heart are unknown. Reports have suggested that bone marrow cells are recruited to the chagasic heart; however, studies using chimeric mouse models of chagasic cardiomyopathy are rare. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the migration of bone marrow cells to the heart after T. cruzi infection in a model of chagasic disease in chimeric mice. METHODS To obtain chimerical mice, wild-type (WT) C57BL6 mice were exposed to full body irradiation (7 Gy), causing bone marrow ablation. Then, bone marrow cells from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic mice were infused into the mice. Graft effectiveness was confirmed by flow cytometry. Experimental mice were divided into four groups: (i) infected chimeric (iChim) mice; (ii) infected WT (iWT) mice, both of which received 3 × 104 trypomastigotes of the Brazil strain; (iii) non-infected chimeric (Chim) mice; and (iv) non-infected WT mice. FINDINGS At one-month post-infection, iChim and iWT mice showed first degree atrioventricular block with decreased heart rate and treadmill exercise parameters compared to those in the non-infected groups. MAIN CONCLUSIONS iChim mice showed an increase in parasitaemia, myocarditis, and the presence of amastigote nests in the heart tissue compared to iWT mice. Flow cytometry analysis did not detect haematopoietic progenitor cells in the hearts of infected mice. Furthermore, GFP+ cardiomyocytes were not detected in the tissues of chimeric mice.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Mice , Trypanosoma cruzi/physiology , Bone Marrow Cells/physiology , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/parasitology , Bone Marrow Transplantation/methods , Chagas Disease/parasitology , Cell Movement , Animal DiseasesABSTRACT
A contribuição das células de medula óssea na regeneração de tecidos não hematopoiéticos tem sido intensamente investigada desde a descoberta de células-tronco multipotentes neste órgão. Estudos prévios tem demonstrado que células derivadas da medula óssea podem contribuir para a formação de novos hepatócitos e cardiomiócitos. No presente estudo avaliamos a participação endógena das células-tronco de medula óssea no processo de reparo de lesões teciduais na fase crônica da doença de Chagas e esquistossomose experimentalmente induzidas. Para isso, camundongos quiméricos de medula óssea foram gerados após irradiação com dose letal e posterior reconstituição com células de medula óssea provenientes de camundongos transgênicos para a proteína fluorescente verde (GFP)...
he contribution of bone marrow cells in non-hematopoietic tissue regeneration has been intensely investigated since the discovery of multipotent stem cells in this organ. Previous studies have shown that bone marrow derived cells may contribute to the formation of new hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes. In the present study, we evaluated the participation of endogenous bone marrow stem cells in the repair of tissue injury in experimentally induced chronic phases of Chagas disease and schistosomiasis. For this purpose, chimeric mice were generated from bone marrow after a lethal irradiation dose and subsequent reconstitution with bone marrow cells from green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic mice...