CXCR-7 receptor promotes SDF-1α-induced migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the transient cerebral ischemia/reperfusion rat hippocampus

• We examined CXCR4, CXCR7, and SDF-1α expression in BMSCs.
• Our results show that CXCR4/CXCR7 was co-expressed in BMSCs.
• CXCR4 and CXCR7 are involved in SDF-1α-induced BMSCs migration in an I/R model.

The stromal cell-derived factor 1/C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (SDF-1/CXCR-4) axis plays an important role during stem cell recruitment. SDF-1 can also bind the more recently described CXCR-7 receptor, but effects of SDF-1/CXCR-7 signaling on stem cell migrating to ischemic brain injury area are little known. In the present study, we investigated the effect of CXCR-7 on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) migration toward SDF-1α in the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) rat hippocampus. We cultured BMSCs from rats and characterized them using flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, western blotting, and immunofluorescence to detect SDF-1α, CXCR-4, and CXCR-7 expression in third passage BMSCs (P3-BMSCs). We also prepared the model of transient cerebral I/R by four-vessel occlusion (4-VO), and BMSCs were transplanted into I/R rat brain via lateral ventricle (LV) injection (20 μl, 1×106/ml). After that, we examined the effect of BMSCs migration in the cerebral I/R rat hippocampus through Transwell chamber assay. Our results show that SDF-1α, CXCR-4, and CXCR-7 were expressed in P3-BMSCs. Moreover, SDF-1α expression was increased in I/R hippocampus. At 48 h after transplant, green fluorescent BrdU-BMSCs were observed in transplant groups, but no green fluorescent BrdU-BMSCs were seen in medium group. Among BMSCs transplant groups, the number of BrdU-BMSCs positive cell was the highest in BMSC group. Treatment with AMD3100 and/or CXCR-7 neutralizing antibody decreased the number of BMSC migration. Collectively, these findings indicate that CXCR-4 and -7 receptors were co-expressed in BMSCs and synergistically promoted BMSC migration. The effect of CXCR-7 was stronger than that of CXCR-4. Moreover, BMSCs that migrated to hippocampus promoted the autocrine and paracrine signaling of SDF-1α.