Comparative proteomics research on rat MSCs differentiation induced by Shuanglong Formula

Ethnopharmacological relevanceShuanglong Formula (SLF) is a classic formula for treating heart disease in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). And it has been reported that the combinational treatment of SLF with autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation could be of benefit to people with acute myocardial infarction. However, their underlying mechanisms are not clear.Aim of the studyThe effects of whole formula and its herbal main ingredients on rat MSCs differentiation towards cardiomyocytes were investigated and the distinct protein expression profile in MSC-derived cardiomyocytes studied.Materials and methodsThe protein expression profiles of rat MSCs and cardiomyocyte-like cells were determined with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE).ResultsOur data demonstrated that SLF can induce MSCs into cardiomyocyte-like cells and around 36 proteins mainly involved in cytoskeleton, cell tissue energy metabolism and signal transduction have been shown to be regulated distinctly by SLF treatment.ConclusionsData presented in this study suggest that large rearrangement of the proteome occur during the differentiation process of the MSCs to terminally differentiated cardiomyocyte-like cells and offer the possibility for further characterization of specific targets driving the stem cell differentiation.

Undifferentiated MSCs were immunostained positively for actin (A), but negatively for cMHC (A1) and cTnI (A2), while rat cardiomyocytes were positive for all three examined antibodies (B: Actin; B1: cMHC; B2: cTnI); Differentiated MSCs induced by 5-aza (C1: cMHC; C2: cTnI), SLF (D1: cMHC; D2: cTnI) or SLF ingredients (E1: cMHC; E2: cTnI) were positive for both cardiac-specific protein markers, cMHC and cTnI.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide