Mechanical Conditioning Using Magnetic Nanoparticles Bound to PDGF Receptors on HBMSCs Promotes the Smooth Muscle Alpha Actin (SMA) Expression

Mechanotransduction is believe to have the potential to guide the cell fate by coupling mechanical cycles to biochemical signaling. This study investigated the possibility of controlling cell differentiation by mechanical stimulation of cell membrane surface receptor. Magnetic nanoparticle anchored multivalent ligands targeting platelet-derived growth factor receptor α and β (PDGFR α and β) of human bone marrow stromal cells were mechanically stimulated via a Lab-designed magnetic bioreactor. Smooth muscle α actin (SMA) expression was shown to be enhanced by immunofluorescence staining. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed that after 3 hrs magnetic stimulation via PDGFR α conjugated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), smooth muscle α actin mRNA expression levels were significantly upregulated both in 3 hrs and 24 hrs further culture groups.