Serum from Radiofrequency-Injured Livers Induces Differentiation of Bone Marrow Stem Cells into Hepatocyte-Like Cells

Yang, Yi; Qu, Bo; Huo, Jian-Hua; Wu, Sheng-Li; Zhang, Ming-Yu; Wang, Zuo-Ren

doi:10.1016/j.jss.2009.01.006

« Previous Next »Journal of Surgical Research
Volume 155, Issue 1 , Pages 18-24, July 2009

Serum from Radiofrequency-Injured Livers Induces Differentiation of Bone Marrow Stem Cells into Hepatocyte-Like Cells

Yi Yang, M.D.
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
Bo Qu, Ph.D.
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
Jian-Hua Huo, Ph.D.
- Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
Sheng-Li Wu, Ph.D.
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
Ming-Yu Zhang, Ph.D.
- Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
Zuo-Ren Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
- To whom correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed at Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College,Xi'an Jiao Tong University, Xi'an 710061.

Received 29 February 2008 published online 27 January 2009.

Background

Roles that bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) play in liver repair after liver injury and the cell therapy for liver diseases are widely accepted. However, the availability of hepatocyte-like cells from BMSCs and possible animal diseases association with culturing in fetal calf serum (FCS) are the major limitations of clinical therapy. Therefore, this study was designed to search for a new cell source for the treatment of liver injuries through investigating whether serum from radiofrequency ablation-injured rabbit livers can induce the differentiation of BMSCs into hepatocyte-like cells.

Methods

Serum was collected from rabbits 36h after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment of the liver. BMSCs were isolated from rabbit bone marrow and were cultured in the collected serum. Cellular morphology and cell cycle were observed. Hepatocyte markers of the differentiated cells were detected by immunohistochemistry.

Results

After induction for 7 d, spindle-shaped BMSCs turned into round cells that resembled the morphology of hepatocyte-like cells. Flow cytometry showed that the percentage of cells in the S/G2/M phase was higher in the RFA group than that in the FCS group and HGF groups. This result suggests that BMSC can transform into mature cells from stem cell phase. Albumin and CK18 were considered as typical marker of hepatocytes. Following induction for 14 d, the differentiated cells expressed immunofluorescence of FITC-labeled albumin and TRITC-labeled CK18.

Conclusion

BMSCs treated with serum collected from radiofrequency ablation-injured livers can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells providing a cell source to cell therapy.

Key Words: radiofrequency ablation, hepatic injury, bone marrow stem cells, hepatocyte-like cells