ABSTRACT
Objective We investigated the expression profile of cancer related genes in hMSCs co-cultured with U251 glioma cells, to evaluate the risk of malignant transformation of hMSCs in glioma environment. Methods hMSCs were co-cultured with U251 glioma cells for 5 days and the expression profile of cancer-related genes were investigated by using microarray assay, followed by Real-time quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot. Results Of the 440 cancer-re?lated genes covered by Oligo GEArray Human Cancer Microarray OHS-802, SPINT2, TK1, STC1, MMP1, CCND1, SORT1, SEPT6, CDC20, SHB, CDK5, RELA, XRCC4, KIT, CTPS, CAPNS1 and ETV6 were significantly upregulated (>3-fold) whereas none was downregulated in hMSCs co-cultured with U251 glioma cells. The upregulation of oncogenes KIT, CAPNS1, TK1, MMP1, CCND1, CDC20, RELA and STC1 in co-cultured hMSCs were confirmed by Real-time quan? titative RT-PCR. The upregulation of protein expression of oncogenes KIT, MMP1, CCND1 and RELA were detected by Western blot. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that co-culture of hMSCs with human glioma cells leads to up?regulation of some important oncogenes in hMSCs, indicating the tumorigenic potential of hMSCs in glioma environment.