TNF-α enhances vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via the NF-κB, ERK and JNK signaling pathways

Abstract

The migration of circulating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to injured tissue is an important step in tissue regeneration and requires adhesion to the microvascular endothelium. The current study investigated the underlying mechanism of MSC adhesion to endothelial cells during inflammation. In in vitro MSC culture, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) increased the level of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression in a dose-dependent manner. The nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway inhibitors, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), U0126 and SP600125, respectively, suppressed VCAM-1 expression induced by TNF-α at the mRNA and protein levels (P