Background: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC)-derived exosomes (Exos) are important in promoting bone and vascular regeneration. Antler blood (ALB) is a valuable traditional Chinese medicine with potent regenerative effects. However, there is still a lack of clarity regarding the relationship between ALB and BMSC-Exos.
Methods: Primary BMSCs were isolated from SD Rats, and BMSC-derived Exos (BMSC-Exos) were harvested and identified accordingly. ALB was treated with the solution contained pepsin and hydrochloric acid to simulated gastrointestinal digestion in vitro. Furthermore, the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was performed to determine the components of digested ALB. Moreover, ALB was utilized to intervene on BMSCs to produce specialized Exos (Exos-ALB), of which the angiogenesis functions were detected both in vitro and in vivo. For the potential mechanism, both high-throughput sequencing and proteomics were performed.
Results: The main components of ALB consist of amino acids and peptides. Both ALB and BMSC-Exos exhibited significant promotion of bone and blood vessel formation, respectively. Moreover, ALB and BMSC-Exos could increase the expression of BMP-2, RUNX2, and ALP, but reduce the Osteopontin (OPN) expression. Notably, Exos-ALB exhibited the strongest performance in these functions, whereas the presence of miR-21-5p inhibitor can partially counteract the effects of Exos-ALB. The proteomics reveal differential genes associated with bone minimization, angiogenesis, osteoblast differentiation, vesicle-mediated transport, and the Wnt signaling pathway.
Conclusion: ALB enhances the ability of BMSCs-derived Exos to promote bone and vascular regeneration, which may be related to the up-regulation of miR-21-5p.
Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUC-MSCs) and platelet lysate (PL) shows potential of wound healing. However, MSCs in combination with PL for wound healing is still lacking. In this study, we presented high glucose cultured wound related cells to mimic diabetic chronic ulcers (DCU) cells, wound healing indicators and the TGFβ/Smad signaling pathway were detected by PL cultured HUC-MSC supernatant (MSC-Sp) in vitro. In vivo study, diabetes was induced in pigs feeding a high-energy diet and multiple injections of streptozotocin (125 mg/kg). Chronic wounds were created on both sides of the backs of seven pigs by surgical creation and foreign body compression for eight weeks before treatment. The wounds were treated with saline control (N = 11), PL (N = 11), HUC- MSCs (N = 18, 6 × 106/mL/cm2), and PL + HUC-MSCs (N = 18, 6 × 106/mL/cm2) respectively. Tissue samples were collected to observe new collagen, neovascularization, wound healing factors, and the TGFβ/Smad signaling pathway. The resulting PL-cultured MSC-Sp promoted the proliferation of keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and vascular endothelial cells and inhibited the TGFβ1/TGFβ3 ratio, upregulated VEGF-α and PDGF-BB production by keratinocytes and fibroblasts, and downregulated the expression of CD86, IL-6, and TNF-α in RAW264.7 cells. PL + HUC-MSCs had the best wound healing rate in vivo, and promoted collagen formation, neovascularization, and inflammation, regulated the balance between IL-6/TGFβ1 and IL-6/Arg-1 and upregulated the expression of VEGF-α and TGFβ1. In summary, PL + HUC-MSCs had a better wound healing effect than HUC-MSCs or PL treatment alone by regulating the IL-6/Arg-1 and IL-6/TGFβ1 balance and upregulating TGFβ1, VEGF-α, Col1, and α-SMA.
Stem cell therapy and low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave (LI-ECSW) are recognized as potential restorative therapies and have been used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). Stem cell therapy is well-known due to its attributed regenerative ability and thus can help to improve erectile function in patients with vasculogenic ED. Besides, current evidence also shows that LI-ECSW therapy can help stimulate cell recruitment and proliferation and promote angiogenesis and vascularization in the damaged tissue. Hence, due to the therapeutic and restorative effects of both therapies, the success of ED treatment can be elevated through a combination therapy between stem cell therapy and LI-ECSW. In this review, a detailed description and efficacy discussion of combination therapies between different types of stem cells and LI-ECSW therapy are described. Besides, other potential cell types to use together with LI-ECSW are also listed in this review. Thus, this review provides better insight on the efficacy of combination therapy for ED treatment.
Periodontitis and diabetes mellitus are two prevalent chronic diseases that have been recognized to exhibit a bidirectional relationship. Individuals with diabetes are more susceptible to periodontitis, and conversely, periodontitis can exacerbate glycemic control in diabetic patients. The underlying mechanisms of this interrelationship involve complex pathways, including inflammatory responses, altered immune functions, and microbial dysbiosis. The mechanistic insights into the interrelationship between periodontitis and diabetes mellitus revolve around the role of inflammation as a common link between the two diseases. Inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, chemokines, and prostaglandins play a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of the diseases. The dysregulation of the immune response in diabetes can exacerbate the inflammatory response in periodontitis, leading to increased tissue destruction and bone resorption. The chronic inflammation in periodontitis can contribute to insulin resistance and impaired glycemic control in diabetic patients. Future directions in research aim to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the interrelationship between periodontitis and diabetes mellitus. Modulating the inflammatory response, restoring microbial balance, and improving glycemic control hold promise in managing both conditions simultaneously. Herein, we will provide an overview of the interrelationship of periodontitis and diabetes mellitus, and retrospect the underlying mechanisms, which may inspire investigators with further research directions.