Transdifferentiation of adipogenically differentiated cells into osteogenically or chondrogenically differentiated cells: Phenotype switching via dedifferentiation

Reprogramming is a new wave in cellular therapies to achieve the vital goals of regenerative medicine. Transdifferentiation, whereas the differentiated state of cells could be reprogrammed into other cell types, meaning cells are no more locked in their differentiated circle. Hence, cells of choice from abundant and easily available sources such as fibroblast and adipose tissue could be converted into cells of demand, to restore the diseased tissues. Before diverting this new approach into effective clinical use, transdifferentiation could not be simply overlooked, as it challenges the normal paradigms of biological laws, where mature cells transdifferentiate not only within same germ layers, but even across the lineage boundaries. How unipotent differentiated cells reprogram into another, and whether transdifferentiation proceeds via a direct cell-to-cell conversion or needs dedifferentiation. To address such questions, MSC were adipogenically differentiated followed by direct transdifferentiation, and subsequently examined by histology, immunohistochemistry, qPCR and single cell analysis. Direct cellular conversion of adipogenic lineage cells into osteogenic or chondrogenic resulted in mixed culture of both lineage cells (adipogenic and new acquiring osteogenic/chondrogenic phenotypes). On molecular level, such conversion was confirmed by significantly upregulated expression of PPARG, FABP4, SPP1 and RUNX2. Chondrogenic transdifferentiation was verified by significantly upregulated expression of PPARG, FABP4, SOX9 and COL2A1. Single cell analysis did not support the direct cell-to-cell conversion, rather described the involvement of dedifferentiation. Moreover, some differentiated single cells did not change their phenotype and were resistant to transdifferentiation, suggesting that differentiated cells behave differently during cellular conversion. An obvious characterization of differentiated cells could be helpful to understand the process of transdifferentiation.