Substance P modulates properties of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have self-renewal characteristics and are able to differentiate into various cell types. These cells can mobilize to peripheral tissues in order to participate in important biological processes such as wound healing. They are also able to regulate hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) trafficking between the bone marrow and the periphery through the regulation of intercellular interactions and the expression of cytokines, such as SDF-1. Previous studies demonstrated that substance P (SP) induces the proliferation of MSCs in vitro and mediates the migration of MSCs to injury sites to promote healing. We found that SP increases CFU-F of the bone marrow total cells and up-regulates the osteogenic differentiation potential of MSCs without affecting their adipogenic differentiation potential. We also found that SP increases the mRNA levels of SDF-1 and N-cadherin in total bone marrow. Therefore, it is very likely that SP modulates the properties of MSCs linked to their therapeutic potential and their role in trafficking of stem cells.