Original Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Stem Cells. Nov 26, 2012; 4(11): 110-116
Published online Nov 26, 2012. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v4.i11.110
Umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells protect amyloid-β42 neurotoxicity via paracrine
Ju-Yeon Kim, Dong Hyun Kim, Ji Hyun Kim, Yoon Sun Yang, Wonil Oh, Eun Hui Lee, Jong Wook Chang
Ju-Yeon Kim, Dong Hyun Kim, Ji Hyun Kim, Yoon Sun Yang, Wonil Oh, Jong Wook Chang, Biomedical Research Institute, R & D Center, MEDIPOST Co., Ltd. Seoul 137-874, South Korea
Ju-Yeon Kim, Eun Hui Lee, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, South Korea
Author contributions: Kim JY performed the majority of experiments; Kim DH and Kim JH provided analytical tools; Yang YS and Oh W revised manuscript; Lee EH and Chang JW contributed equally to design the study and wrote manuscript.
Supported by A grant of the Korea Healthcare Technology R & D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea, No. A110445
Correspondence to: Eun Hui Lee, Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701, South Korea. ehui@catholic.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-2-22587279 Fax: +82-2-5329575
Received: August 28, 2012
Revised: October 26, 2012
Accepted: November 2, 2012
Published online: November 26, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To understand the neuroprotective mechanism of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) against amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) exposed rat primary neurons.

METHODS: To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of hUCB-MSCs, the cells were co-cultured with Aβ42-exposed rat primary neuronal cells in a Transwell apparatus. To assess the involvement of soluble factors released from hUCB-MSCs in neuroprotection, an antibody-based array using co-cultured media was conducted. The neuroprotective roles of the identified hUCB-MSC proteins was assessed by treating recombinant proteins or specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for each candidate protein in a co-culture system.

RESULTS: The hUCB-MSCs secreted elevated levels of decorin and progranulin when co-cultured with rat primary neuronal cells exposed to Aβ42. Treatment with recombinant decorin and progranulin protected from Aβ42-neurotoxicity in vitro. In addition, siRNA-mediated knock-down of decorin and progranulin production in hUCB-MSCs reduced the anti-apoptotic effects of hUCB-MSC in the co-culture system.

CONCLUSION: Decorin and progranulin may be involved in anti-apoptotic activity of hUCB-MSCs exposed to Aβ42.

Keywords: Human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells, Decorin, Progranulin, Aβ42, Anti-apoptosis