Myogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Cell therapy has been extensively studied as a gene complementation approach in muscular dystrophy including Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and adipose tissue has recently been identified as a uniquely abundant and adequately accessible source of pluripotent cells. In the present work, we investigated myogenic potentials of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) depending on culture media and isolation with using surface markers. METHOD: Human ADSCs were obtained by liposuction and cultured in two different media; control and myogenic media. In addition we attempted to isolate ADSCs by utilizing surface markers: CD45 and CD133. The following observations were made to evaluate myogenic differentiation as the expression of myogenic regulatory factors (MyoD, Myf-5 and Myf-6) and desmin by RT-PCR and immunoflurescence study. RESULTS: Conversion of ADSCs to myogenic phenotype was observed by indirect immunoflurescence study of MyoD and Myf-5 in regardless of media type and isolation method. In addition mRNA of MyoD and Myf-5 were positive in both culture media, and there were no differences of MyoD and Myf-5 responses between CD45- and CD45-CD133-ADSCs. However, secondary myogenic regulatory factor (Myf-6) was not expressed constantly, and desmin were negative in all cultural condition. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that human ADSCs might have myogenic potentials. However, further studies are needed to express the secondary myogenic regulatory factors and proteins in myoblasts.