Nitric oxide suppresses the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor and hepatocyte growth factor from human mesenchymal stem cells

The production of growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) by human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may play an important role in their paracrine effects on proliferation, differentiation, and protection. NO is produced during ischemia and may affect MSC function. However, it is unknown whether NO alters the production of VEGF and HGF from MSCs. To study this, human MSCs were stimulated to produce growth factors with TNF or LPS with and without various doses of NO donors or NOS inhibitors. We found that FK409, an NO donor, significantly suppressed the production of VEGF and HGF from human MSCs. Vascular endothelial growth factor in the supernatants of cells treated by 20 nM FK409 (497 ± 19 pg/mL) was significantly lower compared with controls (625 ± 34 pg/mL). Similarly, NO donor significantly suppressed the amount of HGF from controls (118 ± 3 to 40 ± 2 pg/mL) after treatment with 20 nM FK409. NO donor also abolished the augmentation of VEGF production induced by LPS. The amount of VEGF in the supernatant was 571 ± 11 pg/mL when cells were treated with 20 nM FK409 and LPS (200 ng/mL), which was significantly lower than groups treated with LPS alone (941 ± 30 pg/mL). This study constitutes an initial report regarding the effect of NO on human MSC growth factor production.