Salmonella Enhances Osteogenic Differentiation in Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

The potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for tissue repair and regeneration has garnered great attention. While MSC interaction with microbes at sites of tissue damage and inflammation is likely, especially in the gut, the consequences of bacterial association have yet to be elucidated. This study investigated the effect of ssp serotype Typhimurium on MSC trilineage differentiation path and mechanism. Through examination of key markers of differentiation, immunomodulatory regulators, and inflammatory cytokines, we demonstrated that altered osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation pathways in human and goat adipose-derived MSCs. Gene expression profiles defined signaling pathway alterations in response to association not observed in epithelial cells. We uncovered significant differential expression ( < 0.05) of genes associated with anti-apoptotic and pro-proliferative responses in MSCs during challenge. These observations led us to conclude that bacteria, specifically induce pathways that influence functional differentiation trajectories in MSCs, thus implicating substantial microbial influence on MSC physiology and immune activity.