N-formyl peptides and Mesenchymal Stem Cells

New Orleans, Louisiana –

One of the common themes in the study of stem cells is their ability to home into areas of damaged tissue. It is known that factors generated during hypoxia, such as stromal derived factor-1 generally attract stem cells, however other signals generated during injury that attract stem cells are less well understood.

N-formyl peptides are cleavage products of mitochondrial proteins, and generally attract leukocytes to sites of infection or tissue damage. In a recent paper (Viswanathan et al. Functional Expression of N-formyl Peptide Receptors in Human Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Stem Cells. 2007 Jan 18) the expression of receptors for N-formyl peptides was discovered on human mesenchymal stem cells.

N-formyl peptide receptor was demonstrated on mesenchymal stem cells by

- RT-PCR
- Protein
- Functionally in that addition of fMLP induced calcium flux and enhanced adhesion of mesenchymal stem cells to extracellular matrix components.

Conclusively these studies bring up a new mediator of stem cell homing in response to tissue injury. By understanding how to manipulate these homing signals it will be possible to selectively induce migration of stem cells to where they are needed for tissue repair and regeneration.