Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan College of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
J Dent Res. 2020 Aug;99(9):1102-1111. doi: 10.1177/0022034520925417. Epub 2020 May 29.
Interactions with the microenvironment modulate the fate of stem cells in perivascular niches in tissues (e.g., bone) and organs (e.g., liver). However, the functional relevance of the molecular crosstalk between endothelial cells and stem cells within the perivascular niche in dental pulps is unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that endothelial cell-initiated signaling is necessary to maintain self-renewal of dental pulp stem cells. Confocal microscopy showed that ALDH1 and Bmi-1 stem cells are preferentially localized in close proximity to blood vessels in physiological human dental pulps. Secondary orosphere assays revealed that endothelial cell-derived factors (e.g., interleukin-6 [IL-6]) promote self-renewal of dental pulp stem cells cultured in low-attachment conditions. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that endothelial cell-derived IL-6 activates IL-6R (IL-6 Receptor) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling and induces expression of Bmi-1 (master regulator of stem cell self-renewal) in dental pulp stem cells. Transplantation of dental pulp stem cells stably transduced with small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-STAT3 into immunodeficient mice revealed a decrease in the number of blood vessels surrounded by ALDH1 or Bmi-1 cells (perivascular niches) compared to tissues formed upon transplantation of vector control stem cells. And finally, in vitro capillary sprouting assays revealed that inhibition of IL-6 or STAT3 signaling decreases the vasculogenic potential of dental pulp stem cells. Collectively, these data demonstrate that endothelial cell-derived IL-6 enhances the self-renewal of dental pulp stem cells via STAT3 signaling and induction of Bmi-1. These data suggest that a crosstalk between endothelial cells and stem cells within the perivascular niche is required for the maintenance of stem cell pools in dental pulps.
细胞外环境的相互作用调节组织(如骨骼)和器官(如肝脏)中的血管周围龛内干细胞的命运。然而,血管周围龛内皮细胞与干细胞之间的分子串扰在牙髓中的功能相关性尚不清楚。在这里,我们检验了内皮细胞起始信号对于维持牙髓干细胞自我更新是必需的假设。共聚焦显微镜显示,ALDH1 和 Bmi-1 干细胞在生理人牙髓中优先定位于靠近血管的位置。次级球体测定显示,内皮细胞衍生的因子(例如白细胞介素-6 [IL-6])促进在低附着条件下培养的牙髓干细胞的自我更新。机制研究表明,内皮细胞衍生的 IL-6 激活了 IL-6R(IL-6 受体)和信号转导和转录激活因子 3(STAT3)信号,并诱导牙髓干细胞中 Bmi-1(干细胞自我更新的主调控因子)的表达。将稳定转导短发夹 RNA(shRNA-STAT3)的牙髓干细胞移植到免疫缺陷小鼠中,与移植载体对照干细胞形成的组织相比,发现被 ALDH1 或 Bmi-1 细胞(血管周围龛)包围的血管数量减少。最后,体外毛细血管发芽测定显示,抑制 IL-6 或 STAT3 信号会降低牙髓干细胞的血管生成潜力。总之,这些数据表明,内皮细胞衍生的 IL-6 通过 STAT3 信号增强牙髓干细胞的自我更新,并诱导 Bmi-1。这些数据表明,血管周围龛内皮细胞与干细胞之间的串扰对于维持牙髓中的干细胞池是必需的。
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