The Effect of Preeclampsia on the Cell Adhesion, Migration, and Proliferation Potential of Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

BACKGROUND: Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) are a well-known source in the field of regenerative medicine. However, their biological features and perinatal environment are compromised by various conditions, such as preeclampsia. Pregnancy-related complications lead to functional impairments, making the cord-isolated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) less efficient in self-renewal and regenerative capacity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the adhesion, migration, and proliferation potential of hUC-MSCs in preeclamptic conditions. METHODS: MSCs were obtained from umbilical cords of normal and preeclamptic pregnancies, with three samples collected per group. The functional properties of hUC-MSCs, including adhesion, proliferation, migration, and colony formation, were assessed through cell adhesion, wound-healing, and colony-forming unit assays. Moreover, the proliferative potential of hUC-MSCs was determined by calculating the number of population doublings (NPD) and population doubling times (PDT). The expression level of cell cycle-related genes is examined by quantitative PCR. RESULTS: The MSCs isolated from preeclamptic cords exhibit higher PDT (p < 0.01) and reduced NPD (p < 0.05), adhesion (p < 0.001), proliferation (p < 0.01), wound-healing (p < 0.01), and colony formation capabilities. Additionally, preeclampsia-affected hUC-MSCs showed significantly downregulated cell cycle genes, including CDCA2 (0.86-fold, p < 0.01), CDCA8 (0.049-fold, p < 0.001), CDC20 (0.34-fold, p < 0.01), and CCNA2 (0.25-fold, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The study concludes that MSCs derived from preeclampsia cord show decreased adhesion, migration, and proliferation capabilities compared to normal hUC-MSCs. These findings show that pregnancy complications can influence the biological properties of perinatal stem cells. However, further research is necessary to investigate the underlying mechanisms via which preeclampsia affects the proliferative potential of stem cells, and to identify strategies to increase the proliferation rates of these cells.