Ex vivo-expanded bone marrow stem cells home to the liver and ameliorate functional recovery in a mouse model of acute hepatic injury

摘要

BACKGROUND: Stem cell transplantation provides a theoretical approach for liver regeneration medicine; it may promote liver regeneration  and  self-repair.  However,  the  transplantation  of bone  marrow-mesenchymal  stem  cells  expanded  ex vivo  as  a therapy for liver disease has rarely been investigated. This study aimed  to  explore  whether  bone  marrow  stem  cells  expanded ex vivo home to the liver and foster hepatic recovery after CCl4 injury. METHODS: Bone  marrow  cells  from  BALB/c  mice  were expanded ex vivo by multiple-passage cultivation, characterized by cytoflow immunofluorescence, and pre-labeled with PKH26 before intravenous infusion into animals treated with CCl4. The integration of bone marrow cells into the liver was examined microscopically, and plasma hepatic enzymes were determined biochemically. RESULTS: Cultured  bone  marrow  cells  exhibited  antigenic profiles comparable to those of primary medullary stem cells. Double  immunofluorescence  showed  colocalization  of  these cells with proliferative activity and albumin expression in the liver of CCl4-treated mice. Densitometry showed increased in situ  cell  proliferation  (50±14  vs  20±3  cells/high-power  field, P<0.05)  and  albumin  expression  (149±25  vs  20±5  cells/high-power  field,  P<0.05)  in  the  liver,  as  well  as  reduced  serum aminotransferase  levels  (P<0.05)  and  better  survival  rates (P<0.05)  in  animals  receiving  cultured  bone  marrow  cells relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Ex vivo-expanded  bone  marrow  cells  are capable  of  relocating  to  and  proliferating  in  the  chemically-injured  liver.  Transplantation  of  these  pluripotent  stem cells appears to improve serum indices of liver function and survival rate in mice after CCl4-induced hepatic damage.