Specific monitoring of cardiomyogenic and endothelial differentiation by dual promoter-driven reporter systems in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract

Vectors encoding reporter genes driven by cardiac specific myosin light chain- 2v ( MLC- 2v), endothelial cell- specific Flk1 or Tie2 promoters were constructed. The cardiac differentiation- monitoring vector ( pMLC- 2v- DsRed), endothelial cell- specific monitoring vectors ( pFlk1- EGFP, pTie2- EGFP) as well as the dual promoter driven- reporter genes ( pMLC- 2v- DsRed- Flk1- EGFP, pMLC- 2v- DsRed-Tie2- EGFP) were specifically expressed in the Sca-1(+) bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells ( BMMSCs) with cardiomyogenic or endothelial lineage differentiation. The cardiac or endothelial cell- specific promoter- driven reporter vectors provide important tools for the study of stem cell fate and differentiation in vitro and future stem cell therapy for ischemic cardiomyopathy.