Therapeutic potential of human mesenchymal stem cells derived from amnion and bone marrow in a rat model of acute liver injury and fibrosis

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from various human tissues, including amnion (AM) from the placenta and bone marrow (BM), have been known to differentiate into multi-lineages and mesodermal cell lines. Few comparative studies have reported their potential for hepatogenic differentiation using an in vitro culture system and it remains unclear if their therapeutic potential in an animal model also depends on this differentiation. The purpose of this study was to compare the hepatogenic differentiation capacity of AM- and BM-derived MSCs, and to evaluate their antifibrotic efficacy after direct transplantation into a bile duct-ligated rat model of liver fibrosis. The proliferation of AM-MSCs derived from placenta was higher than that of BM-MSCs. Differentiated hepatocyte-like cells changed in morphology, expressed hepatocyte-specific genes, and demonstrated functional activities. Differentiated AM- and BM-derived hepatocyte-like cells were directly transplanted into rat livers suffering from hepatic fibrosis due to bile duct ligation. Liver tissues were analyzed at one and two weeks post-transplantation. Albumin expression was increased in rats one week after transplanting AM- and BM-derived hepatocyte-like cells. And, collagen deposition decreased compared with the control group. These results contribute to our understanding of the antifibrotic effects of AM- and BM-derived hepatocyte-like cells on liver disease and their ability to undergo hepatogenic differentiation. AM- and BM-derived MSCs may be a source of cells for liver regeneration and may provide a foundation for the development of novel cell therapies.