Differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell into uterine smooth muscle cell in vitro study on the mechanism.

Abstract

Although bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are an important resource for tissue engineering and have been shown capable of differentiating into uterine smooth muscle cells (USMCs) to aid uterine regeneration, the precise conditions and mechanisms that control this process require further investigation. This study employed a Transwell co-culture system of rat BMSCs and USMCs to investigate both the differentiation of BMSCs into USMCs and the involvement of protein acetylation and microRNA (miR)-214 in this transition. Our results showed that co-cultured BMSCs exhibited upregulated expression of smooth muscle markers (Calponin, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and smooth muscle myosin heavy chain), enhanced contractility, and decreased CD44 levels. Furthermore, we observed increased protein acetylation and a time-dependent upregulation of miR-214 during differentiation. Enhancement of either protein acetylation or miR-214 expression promoted BMSCs differentiation toward a USMC lineage, with miR-214 overexpression also elevating overall protein acetylation levels. These findings demonstrate that BMSCs can be directed to differentiate into USMC-like cells under defined in vitro conditions, a process likely mediated by miR-214 through promotion of protein acetylation, thereby providing mechanistic insights and experimental support for stem cell-based therapies in uterine regeneration.