In vitro study of hepatocyte growth factor in inducing Wharton′s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells into hepatocyte-like cells

Objective To observe the capability of hepatocyte growth factor in inducing Wharton′s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs) into hepatocyte-like cells.Methods Wharton′s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from human umbilical cord.The phenotype of mesenchymal stem cells and telomerase activity were identified.Four groups were set up to investigate the capability of hepatocyte growth factor in inducing Wharton′s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells into hepatocyte-like cells {Group A: WJMSCs+HGF (20 ng/ml) ;Group B: WJMSCs+HGF (40 ng/ml) ;Group C: HL-7702 cell line and Group D: WJMSCs}, and evaluate preliminarily by detecting the relative gene expression quantity of AFP and ALB.Results The phenotype of Wharton′s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells was positive in CD73, CD90, CD105 and HLA-ABC, but it was negative in CD45 and HLA-DR.Telomerase activity of WJMSCs showed no significant difference compared with that of HeLa cells.The mRNA of AFP increased at the 7th day in group A and B, while it was lower in group A than that of group B (P<0.05) .They both showed much lower than that of group C (P<0.05) , while there was no significant difference at 21st and 42nd day in group C (P>0.05) .The mRNA of ALB increased at the 7th day in group A and B (P>0.05) , but they were both lower than that of group C (P<0.05) .At 21st day, ALB in group A and B showed no significant difference compared with that of group C (P>0.05) ;and it was higher in group A and B than that of group C at the 42nd day (P<0.05) .Conclusion Hepatocyte growth factor could induce Wharton′s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells into hepatocyte-like cells, and this effect is related to the concentration of hepatocyte growth factor in the culture medium.