NYMC Faculty Publications

Human Cord Blood-Derived Unrestricted Somatic Stem Cells Promote Wound Healing and Have Therapeutic Potential for Patients with Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.3727/096368913X663569

Journal Title

Cell Transplantation

First Page

303

Last Page

317

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2014

Department

Pediatrics

Keywords

Animals, Cell Differentiation, Cells, Cultured, Collagen Type VII, Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica, Fetal Blood, Humans, Keratinocytes, Mice, Skin, Stem Cell Transplantation, Stem Cells, Wound Healing

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

Human umbilical cord blood (CB)-derived unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs) have previously been demonstrated to have a broad differentiation potential and regenerative beneficial effects when administered in animal models of multiple degenerative diseases. Here we demonstrated that USSCs could be induced to express genes that hallmark keratinocyte differentiation. We also demonstrated that USSCs express type VII collagen (C7), a protein that is absent or defective in patients with an inherited skin disease, recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). In mice with full-thickness excisional wounds, a single intradermal injection of USSCs at a 1-cm distance to the wound edge resulted in significantly accelerated wound healing. USSC-treated wounds displayed a higher density of CD31(+) cells, and the wounds healed with a significant increase in skin appendages. These beneficial effects were demonstrated without apparent differentiation of the injected USSCs into keratinocytes or endothelial cells. In vivo bioluminescent imaging (BLI) revealed specific migration of USSCs modified with a luciferase reporter gene, from a distant intradermal injection site to the wound, as well as following systemic injection of USSCs. These data suggest that CB-derived USSCs could significantly contribute to wound repair and be potentially used in cell therapy for patients with RDEB.

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