Sertoli cells promote proliferation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in co-culture.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are a major source for cell transplantation. The proliferative ability of BMSCs is an important determinant of the efficiency of transplant therapy. Sertoli cells are "nurse" cells for development of sperm cells. Our recent study showed that Sertoli cells promoted proliferation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) in co-culture. Studies by other groups also showed that Sertoli cells promoted growth of endothelial cells and neural stem cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of Sertoli cells on proliferation of BMSCs. Our results showed that Sertoli cells in co-culture significantly enhanced proliferation of BMSCs (P < 0.01). Moreover, co-culture with Sertoli cells also markedly increased mRNA and/or protein expressions of Mdm2, p-Akt and Cyclin D1, and decreased p53 expression in BMSCs (P < 0.01 or < 0.05). These findings indicate that Sertoli cells have the potential to enhance proliferation of BMSCs.