Activation of protein kinase C ε enhanced movement ability and paracrine function of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells partly at least independent of SDF-1/CXCR4 axis and PI3K/AKT pathway.

Objects: to probe into the effects of PKCe on migration and paracrine functions of stem cells and potential molecular mechanisms. Methods: Bone Marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) were obtained from rat femur and passaged. mRNA and protein levels of capital proteins in PKCe signaling, SDF-1/CXCR4 axis and PI3K/AKT pathway in the MSCs in different conditions treating with PKC agonist, specific PKCe inhibitor, CXCR4 antagonist or PI3K inhibitor for 24 hours were analyzed by real-time PCR and western blot, and migration abilities were observed by migration assay in vitro and the changes of paracrine factors in different treatments were analyzed by protein clips assay. Results: the levels of p-JNK, p-P38MAPK, SDF-1, CXCR4, PI3K and p-AKT increased significantly after treating with PKC agonist (P < 0.05) and decreased obviously after treating with specific PKCe inhibitor. Migration ability and paracrine function of MSCs were enhanced in PMA group and attenuated in PKCe inhibitor group, and inhibiting activity of CXCR4 or PI3K attenuated the effects of PKCe, but not abolished completely. Conclusion: There was cross-talking between PKCe signaling and SDF-1/CXCR4 axis and PI3K/AKT pathway in signal transduction of MSCs. Activating PKCe could improve migration ability and paracrine function of MSCs partly at least independent of SDF-1/CXCR4 axis and PI3K/AKT pathway.