Throughout adulthood stem cells work to replace mature cells lost to turnover, injury or disease. Some of the genes responsible for keeping stem cells active and productive modify the chromatin, the complex combination of DNA and fibers that make up chromosomes.
Now, researchers from the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine at Temple University and the Human Health Foundation in Spoleto, Italy have studied the impact of MECP2 on mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types. MECP2 is one of the chromatin modifier genes whose mutations underlie RETT syndrome, a severe X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder.
The study's conclusion is that inhibition of MECP2 induces senescence, or aging, in MSCs. In general, MSCs are of particular interest to researchers, because of the multiple roles they perform (They are the stem cell utilized in stem cell therapies being developed by Aastrom Biosciences, Athersys Inc., Opexa Therapeutics and Osiris Therapeutics, among others) . MSCs support hematopoiesis, or blood production, and contribute to the maintenance of many organs and tissues. Their aging has profound consequences on body physiology.
“Our studies suggest that MECP2 is a factor whose expression must be tightly regulated to avoid alteration in the cell’s function,” said Dr. Umberto Galderisi, Department of Experimental Medicine, Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Section, Second University of Naples, Italy and lead author of the study.
“Studies on in vitro stem cell senescence (aging) can be of interest in order to dissect molecular events leading to a decline of stem cell functions with advancing of age,” said Dr. Antonio Giordano, director of the Sbarro Institute and the Center for Biotechnology at Temple University.
Adapted from the S.H.R.O. announcement.
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