Effects of adenovirus-mediated co-transfection of bone morphogenetic protein-2 gene and bone morphogenetic protein-7 gene on osteogenic differentiation of rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells

Objective To investigate the effects of adenovirus-mediated co-transfection of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) gene and bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) gene on osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADSCs).Methods The expression adenovirus vectors with green fluorescent protein gene carrying BMP-2 and adenovirus vectors with red fluorescent protein gene carrying BMP-7 were packaged and produced respectively.Rat adipose-derived stromal cells were isolated and cultured in vitro,and were transfected with Ad-BMP-2 (Ad-BMp-2 group),Ad-BMP-7 (Ad-BMP-7 group),co-transfected with Ad-BMP-2 and Ad-BMP-7 (Ad-BMP-2 ± Ad-BMP-7 group),or transfected with no virus (control group).The expression of osteocalcin (OCN) and collagen Ⅰ protein at 14th day after transfection was detected by using Western blotting in each group.Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in ADSCs was measured.Results The expression of OCN and collagen Ⅰ protein in cotransfected group was significantly higher than that in the other groups (P ＜ 0.05).The ALP activity in cotransfected group was significantly stronger than that in the other groups (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion Adenovirus-mediated co-transfection of BMP-2 gene and BMP-7 gene may promote osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived ADSCs. Key words: Bone morphogenetic protein; Adenovirus; Adipose-derived stromal cells; Osteogenic differentiation