Figure 2.
Approaches to enhance MSC migration by upregulating CXCR4. Cord blood-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were subjected to three treatments. (a) Transfection with CXCR4 plasmid using the liposomal reagent IBAfect led to a 105-fold increase in CXCR4 mRNA expression. (b) Priming MSCs with 5 mM valproic acid (VPA) increased trans-Matrigel chemoinvasion towards a low SDF-1 gradient (20 ng/mL) to a level comparable to that of untreated cells migrating towards a high SDF-1 gradient (100 ng/mL). (c) Exposure of MSCs to 10 μg/mL C1q also primed/enhanced trans-Matrigel migration towards SDF-1 and this was accompanied by over 6-fold increase in the surface expression of CXCR4 in C1q-treated cells.