DEC2 is a negative regulator for the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocyte lineage-committed mesenchymal stem cells

• Published in: International journal of molecular medicine Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 876 - 884
• Main Authors: Sasamoto, Tomoko, Fujimoto, Katsumi, Kanawa, Masami, Kimura, Junko, Takeuchi, Junpei, Harada, Naoko, Goto, Noriko, Kawamoto, Takeshi, Noshiro, Mitsuhide, Suardita, Ketut, Tanne, Kazuo, Kato, Yukio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece D.A. Spandidos 01.09.2016; Spandidos Publications; Spandidos Publications UK Ltd
• Subjects: Adipocytes; Aggrecans - genetics; Animals; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - genetics; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - metabolism; Blotting, Western; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle - genetics; Cell differentiation; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cell Lineage - genetics; Cell Proliferation - genetics; Cells, Cultured; Chondrocytes - cytology; Chondrocytes - metabolism; chondrogenesis; Collagen Type X - genetics; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 - genetics; Deoxyribonucleic acid; differentiated embryo chondrocyte 2; DNA; DNA - genetics; DNA - metabolism; Experiments; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; fibroblast growth factor 18; Fibroblast Growth Factors - genetics; Fibroblasts; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation; Genetic aspects; Glycosaminoglycans - metabolism; Growth; Health aspects; Humans; Immunoglobulins; Infections; mesenchymal stem cells; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - cytology; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells - metabolism; Mice; Phosphatase; proliferation; Proteins; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Rodents; Stem cells; Transcription factors; Vascular endothelial growth factor; United States > US; Japan
• ISSN: 1107-3756; 1791-244X
• DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2016.2660

Differentiated embryo chondrocyte 2 (DEC2) is a basic helix-loop-helix-Orange transcription factor that regulates cell differentiation in various mammalian tissues. DEC2 has been shown to suppress the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into myocytes and adipocytes. In the present study, we examined the role of DEC2 in the chondrogenic differentiation of human MSCs. The overexpression of DEC2 exerted minimal effects on the proliferation of MSCs in monolayer cultures with the growth medium under undifferentiating conditions, whereas it suppressed increases in DNA content, glycosaminoglycan content, and the expression of several chondrocyte-related genes, including aggrecan and type X collagen alpha 1, in MSC pellets in centrifuge tubes under chondrogenic conditions. In the pellets exposed to chondrogenesis induction medium, DEC2 overexpression downregulated the mRNA expression of fibroblast growth factor 18, which is involved in the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes, and upregulated the expression of p16INK4, which is a cell cycle inhibitor. These findings suggest that DEC2 is a negative regulator of the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocyte lineage-committed mesenchymal cells.