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Background: The aim of the study was to characterize synovial cells from OA synovium with low-grade and moderate-grade synovitis and to define the role of synovial macrophages in cell culture., Methods: Synovial tissue explants were analyzed for the expression of typical markers of synovial fibroblasts (SF), synovial macrophages (SM) and endothelial cells. Synovial cells at passage 1 (p.1) and 5 (p.5) were analyzed for different phenotypical markers by flow cytometric analysis, inflammatory factors by multiplex immunoassay, anabolic and degradative factors by qRT-PCR. P.1 and p.5 synovial cells as different cell models were co-cultured with adipose stem cells (ASC) to define SM effects., Results: Synovial tissue showed a higher percentage of CD68 marker in moderate compared with low-grade synovitis. Isolated synovial cells at p.1 were positive to typical markers of SM (CD14, CD16, CD68, CD80 and CD163) and SF (CD55, CD73, CD90, CD105, CD106), whereas p.5 synovial cells were positive only to SF markers and showed a higher percentage of CD55 and CD106. At p.1 synovial cells released a significantly higher amount of all inflammatory (IL6, CXCL8, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5) and some anabolic (IL10) factors than those of p.5. Moreover, p.1 synovial cells also expressed a higher amount of some degradative factors (MMP13, S100A8, S100A9) than p.5 synovial cells. Co-culture experiments showed that the amount of SM in p.1 synovial cells differently induced or down-modulated some of the inflammatory (IL6, CXCL8, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5) and degradative factors (ADAMTS5, MMP13, S100A8, S100A9)., Conclusions: We found that p.1 (mix of SM and SF) and p.5 (only SF) synovial cells represent two cell models that effectively reproduce the low- or moderate-grade synovitis environment. The presence of SM in culture specifically induces the modulation of the different factors analyzed, confirming that SM are key effector cells.

Adult stem cells have more restricted differentiation potential than embryonic stem cells (ESCs), but upon appropriate stimulation can differentiate into cells of different germ layers. Epigenetic factors, including DNA modifications, take a significant part in regulation of pluripotency and differentiation of ESCs. Less is known about the epigenetic regulation of these processes in adult stem cells. Gene expression profile and location of DNA modifications in adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and their osteogenically differentiated lineages were analyzed using Agilent microarrays. Methylation-specific PCR and restriction-based quantitative PCR were applied for 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) detection in selected loci. The level of DNA modifications in the POU5F1 locus was quantified with deep sequencing. Expression levels of selected genes were assayed by real-time PCR. ADSCs differentiation into osteogenic lineages involved marked changes in both 5mC and 5hmC profiles, but 5hmC changes were more abundant. 5mC losses and 5hmC gains were the main events observed during ADSCs differentiation, and were accompanied by increased expression of TET1 (P = 0.009). In ADSCs, POU5F1 was better expressed than NANOG or SOX2 (P ≤ 0.001). Both 5mC and 5hmC marks were present in the POU5F1 locus, but only hydroxymethylation of specific cytosine showed significant effect on the gene expression. In summary, the data of our study suggest significant involvement of changes in 5hmC profile during the differentiation of human adult stem cells.