He Wei, Wu Wei-Kang, Wu Yi-Ling, Yang Xu-Hui, Lin Qiu-Xiong, Yu Wei-Hua
Sun Yat-sen Medical College, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
J Asian Nat Prod Res. 2011 Jan;13(1):1-11. doi: 10.1080/10286020.2010.535519.
Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess a multi-lineage differentiation potential and have the ability to repair and rebuild injured vessels. The autologous differentiated MSC transplantation also makes possible the tissue-engineered grafts. Therefore, the efficient endothelial differentiation of MSCs could be beneficial in the successful injured vessel repair and engraftment. Ginsenoside-Rg1, the most prevalent active constituent of ginseng, is a potent proangiogenic factor of vascular endothelial cells and also has the ability to enhance the proliferation of bone marrow cells. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of ginsenoside-Rg1 in the microenvironment-dependent endothelial differentiation of human MSCs (hMSCs) in vitro. The endothelial differentiation environment was established by co-culturing hMSCs with mature endothelial cells (human umbilical vein endothelial cells) indirectly in vitro. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis and fluorescence immunocytochemistry showed a strong expression of endothelial-specific markers such as CD31, Von Willebrand factor, and VE-cadherin. Electron microscopy showed the endothelial characteristic Weibel-Palade bodies of differentiated hMSCs. The increased expression of CD31 demonstrated that Rg1 promoted the endothelial differentiation of hMSCs. The findings here show the differentiation of hMSCs into cells with phenotypic features of endothelial cells using indirect co-culture with mature endothelial cells and provide the evidence that ginsenoside-Rg1 can promote the milieu-dependent endothelial differentiation of hMSCs in vitro.
骨髓间充质干细胞（MSCs）具有多向分化潜能，并有能力修复和重建受损血管。自体分化的MSC移植也使组织工程移植物成为可能。因此，MSCs的高效内皮分化可能有助于成功修复受损血管并实现移植。人参皂苷-Rg1是人参中最普遍的活性成分，是血管内皮细胞的一种强效促血管生成因子，也有增强骨髓细胞增殖的能力。本研究的目的是探讨人参皂苷-Rg1在体外人骨髓间充质干细胞（hMSCs）微环境依赖性内皮分化中的作用。通过在体外将hMSCs与成熟内皮细胞（人脐静脉内皮细胞）间接共培养来建立内皮分化环境。逆转录聚合酶链反应分析和荧光免疫细胞化学显示内皮特异性标志物如CD31、血管性血友病因子和VE-钙黏蛋白有强烈表达。电子显微镜显示分化的hMSCs有内皮特征性的W-P小体。CD31表达增加表明Rg1促进了hMSCs的内皮分化。这里的研究结果表明，通过与成熟内皮细胞间接共培养，hMSCs可分化为具有内皮细胞表型特征的细胞，并提供了证据表明人参皂苷-Rg1在体外可促进hMSCs的微环境依赖性内皮分化。
