Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells interactions in a stress environment via tunneling nanotubes.

This study aims to demonstrate the formation of tunneling tubes (TNTs) between adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMSCs) and retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE-1) and their alterations in response to experimental stress conditions. Serum starvation was employed as a stress condition to indu...

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Main Authors: Merve Gozel, Karya Senkoylu, Cem Kesim, Murat Hasanreisoglu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329672
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author Merve Gozel
Karya Senkoylu
Cem Kesim
Murat Hasanreisoglu
author_facet Merve Gozel
Karya Senkoylu
Cem Kesim
Murat Hasanreisoglu
author_sort Merve Gozel
collection DOAJ
description This study aims to demonstrate the formation of tunneling tubes (TNTs) between adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMSCs) and retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE-1) and their alterations in response to experimental stress conditions. Serum starvation was employed as a stress condition to induce TNTs between the AdMSC and RPE-1 cells. The presence of TNTs was demonstrated through immunofluorescence microscopy, while scanning electron microscopy was utilized to determine the average thickness. Cell viability was assessed after stress by CellTiter-Glo, and H2DCFH-DA probes evaluated the cells' reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Further, JC-1 labelled mitochondrial exchange between cells via TNTs was confirmed by time-lapse imaging. A transmembrane culture system was employed to inhibit TNTs. In this study, we investigated the role of TNTs in facilitating intercellular communication and mitochondrial transfer between AdMSCs and RPE-1 cells under stress. We found that TNT-mediated mitochondrial transfer from AdMSCs to RPE-1 helps to reduce ROS levels and improve cell viability. We demonstrated that direct interaction between AdMSCs and RPE-1 cells was crucial for stress recovery. Co-culture enhanced the viability and sustained the RPE-1 cells' function after stress-induced damage. Mechanical inhibition of TNT formation decreased cell viability and elevated ROS levels, indicating the importance of TNTs in cellular protection. The findings can provide a new perspective on the therapeutic potential of stem cell-based therapy in protecting retinal pigment epithelium cells against stress-induced damage and promoting tissue regeneration.
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spelling doaj-art-e5686d8fbed745c694916b2204bcfebb2025-08-20T02:55:32ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01208e032967210.1371/journal.pone.0329672Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells interactions in a stress environment via tunneling nanotubes.Merve GozelKarya SenkoyluCem KesimMurat HasanreisogluThis study aims to demonstrate the formation of tunneling tubes (TNTs) between adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMSCs) and retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE-1) and their alterations in response to experimental stress conditions. Serum starvation was employed as a stress condition to induce TNTs between the AdMSC and RPE-1 cells. The presence of TNTs was demonstrated through immunofluorescence microscopy, while scanning electron microscopy was utilized to determine the average thickness. Cell viability was assessed after stress by CellTiter-Glo, and H2DCFH-DA probes evaluated the cells' reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Further, JC-1 labelled mitochondrial exchange between cells via TNTs was confirmed by time-lapse imaging. A transmembrane culture system was employed to inhibit TNTs. In this study, we investigated the role of TNTs in facilitating intercellular communication and mitochondrial transfer between AdMSCs and RPE-1 cells under stress. We found that TNT-mediated mitochondrial transfer from AdMSCs to RPE-1 helps to reduce ROS levels and improve cell viability. We demonstrated that direct interaction between AdMSCs and RPE-1 cells was crucial for stress recovery. Co-culture enhanced the viability and sustained the RPE-1 cells' function after stress-induced damage. Mechanical inhibition of TNT formation decreased cell viability and elevated ROS levels, indicating the importance of TNTs in cellular protection. The findings can provide a new perspective on the therapeutic potential of stem cell-based therapy in protecting retinal pigment epithelium cells against stress-induced damage and promoting tissue regeneration.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329672
spellingShingle Merve Gozel
Karya Senkoylu
Cem Kesim
Murat Hasanreisoglu
Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells interactions in a stress environment via tunneling nanotubes.
PLoS ONE
title Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells interactions in a stress environment via tunneling nanotubes.
title_full Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells interactions in a stress environment via tunneling nanotubes.
title_fullStr Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells interactions in a stress environment via tunneling nanotubes.
title_full_unstemmed Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells interactions in a stress environment via tunneling nanotubes.
title_short Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells interactions in a stress environment via tunneling nanotubes.
title_sort adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells interactions in a stress environment via tunneling nanotubes
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329672
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AT cemkesim adiposederivedmesenchymalstemcellsandretinalpigmentepithelialcellsinteractionsinastressenvironmentviatunnelingnanotubes
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