AFFINITY-SELECTED HEPARAN SULFATE FOR THE EXPANSION OF ADULT HUMAN BONE MARROW-DERIVED MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS

Abstract

HUMAN MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS (HMSCS) HOLD IMMENSE THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL IN THE FIELDS OF TISSUE REGENERATION. A MAJOR DRAWBACK IN USE OF HMSCS IS THEIR LOW ABUNDANCE IN THE BONE MARROW AND LIMITED CAPACITY FOR EX-VIVO EXPANSION. COLLECTIVELY, THESE NEGATIVELY IMPACT ON THE THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF THE HMSCS USE IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE. CURRENT STRATEGIES LEAD TO A LOSS OF ?STEMNESS? OF HMSCS. HERE I SHOW THAT SUPPLEMENTATION WITH A FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR 2 - HEPARIN BINDING DOMAIN (FGF2-HBD) AFFINITY PURIFIED HEPARAN SULFATE (HS) TUNED TO BIND AND ACTIVATE ENDOGENOUS FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR -2 PRODUCED BY HMSCS IN CULTURE, INCREASE THE ISOLATION OF HMSCS FROM BONE MARROW ASPIRATES AND INCREASED THEIR EXPANSION WITHOUT ALTERING THEIR ?STEMNESS?. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PARTICULAR HS STRATEGY MAY YIELD BENEFITS TO THE EXPANSION AND CLINICAL USE OF HMSCS IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE.