[Effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on the microenvironment dependent differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell to vaso-endothelioid formative cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on the microenvironment dependent differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to vaso-endothelioid cells (VECs) in vitro. METHODS The in vitro differentiation of hMSCs to VECs were established adopting the in vivo environment simulated semi-permeable membrane separated non-contact co-culturing method. The mRNA expressions of endothelial markers, such as platelet endothelial adhesive factor-1 (CD31), vascular hemophillia factor (vWF) and vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) were analyzed by RT-PCR; the protein expressions of CD31 and vascular endothelial adhesive factor-1 (VCAM1) were detected by fluorescence immunohistochemistry; structural identification for the endothelial characteristics of differentiated hMSCs were made under electron microscopy; and the percentage of CD31 expression in differentiated hMSCs was determined by flow cytometry to explore the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 on the differentiation. RESULTS The bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells co-cultured with mature endothelial membrane showed a microenvironment dependent capacity for differentiating to endothelium, with the morphological changes revealed starting from the 2nd week, showing cell body contraction, polygonal-shaped change; and at the 3rd week, the markedly speedily cell proliferation with elliptic or slabstone-like change of cells. High levels of classic endothelial cell markers, such as mRNA expressions of CD31, vWF, VE-cadherin, and protein expressions of CD31 and VCAM1, were shown; the typical weibel-palade body of endothelial cell was found in the differentiated cells. Moreover, percentage of CD31 expression in the differentiated hMSCs was increased after Rg1 treatment dose-dependently. CONCLUSION Under the microenvironment of co-culture, hMSCs could differentiate into cells presenting the characteristics of endothelial cell in aspects of the morphology and ultrastructure of cells, as well as the gene and protein expressions of cell markers; ginsenoside Rg1 can promote the microenvironment dependent differentiation of hMSCs to VECs system in vitro.