BALB/c Mouse Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Effect of High Mobility Group Box-1 on Mitochondrial Transfer

Mitochondria are crucial for cell metabolism and tissue survival, and their transfer between cells can impact recipient cell fate. BM-MSCs have been reported to transfer mitochondria to cancer cells, rescuing mitochondrial dysfunction, but the mechanisms are unclear. Sasaki et al. investigated the humoral factors and mechanisms involved in mitochondrial transfer (MT) from BM-MSCs to colorectal cancer (CRC) cells.

To assess the relationship between colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), co-culture experiments were conducted under both unattached and attached conditions (Fig. 1A, B). In the unattached condition, HT29 and CT26 CRC cells showed cell growth at the same levels to those in non-cocultured cells, whereas both CRC cells showed enhanced cell growth in the attached condition. CRC cells treated with 5-FU increased the secretion of HMGB1 into the cultured medium (Fig. 1C). To confirm MT from BM-MSCs to CRC cells, CRC cells (PKH67 labeled) and BM-MSCs (mitochondria labeled with Mito Deep red) were cocultured (Fig. 1D, E). Under 5FU treatment, Mouse BM-MSC (mBM-MSC) elongated TNT to the CT26 CRC cell. Mitochondria of mBM-MSCs were transferred to the CT26 cell through the TNT (Fig. 1D). The mMSC TNT reached the CT26 cell at 20 s. The mMSC mitochondria entered into the TNT at 30 s. The mMSC mitochondria reached the CT26 cell cytoplasm. The hBM-MSCs attached to the HT29 CRC cell. Mitochondria of hBM-MSCs were transferred to the HT29 cell temporally (Fig. 1E).