Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28934877›Full record

ArticleCartilage2017

Activin and Nodal Are Not Suitable Alternatives to TGFβ for Chondrogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Laurie M G de Kroon, Esmeralda N Blaney Davidson, Roberto Narcisi, Eric Farrell, Peter M van der Kraan, Gerjo J V M van Osch

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cartilage, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact, top 94% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. MicroRNA expression in osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis.Clinical and experimental medicine · 2023
    Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Experimental biology and medicine (Maywood, N.J.) · 2020
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Laurie M G de Kroon1 Department of Rheumatology, Experimental Rheumatology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Esmeralda N Blaney Davidson1 Department of Rheumatology, Experimental Rheumatology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Roberto Narcisi2 Department of Orthopaedics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Eric Farrell3 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Special Dental Care and Orthodontics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Peter M van der Kraan1 Department of Rheumatology, Experimental Rheumatology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Gerjo J V M van Osch2 Department of Orthopaedics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Erasmus MC · NLRadboud University Nijmegen · NLRadboud University Medical Center · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective Previously, we demonstrated the importance of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ)-activated SMAD2/3 signaling in chondrogenesis of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). However, TGFβ also signals via the SMAD1/5/9 pathway, which is known to induce terminal differentiation of BMSCs. In this study, we investigated whether other SMAD2/3-activating ligands, Activin and Nodal, can induce chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs without inducing terminal differentiation. Design Activation of SMAD2/3 signaling and chondrogenesis were evaluated in human BMSCs ( N = 3 donors) stimulated with TGFβ, Activin, or Nodal. SMAD2/3 activation was assessed by determining phosphorylated-SMAD2 (pSMAD2) protein levels and SMAD2/3-target gene expression of SERPINE1. Chondrogenesis was determined by ACAN and COL2A1 transcript analysis and histological examination of proteoglycans and collagen type II. Results Both Activin and TGFβ enhanced pSMAD2 and SERPINE1 expression compared to the control condition without growth factors, demonstrating activated SMAD2/3 signaling. pSMAD2 and SERPINE1 had a higher level of expression following stimulation with TGFβ than with Activin, while Nodal did not activate SMAD2/3 signaling. Of the 3 ligands tested, only TGFβ induced chondrogenic differentiation as shown by strongly increased transcript levels of ACAN and COL2A1 and positive histological staining of proteoglycans and collagen type II. Conclusions Even with concentrations up to 25 times higher than that of TGFβ, Activin and Nodal do not induce chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs; thus, neither of the 2 ligands is an interesting alternative candidate for TGFβ to induce chondrogenesis without terminal differentiation. To obtain stable cartilage formation by BMSCs, future studies should decipher how TGFβ-induced terminal differentiation can be prevented.

Indexed as

ActivinBMSCschondrogenesisNodalTGFβ

Identifiers

PMID28934877
PMCPMC5613891
OpenAlexW2508295011

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.