Mitochondrial Transfer from Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cell to MERRF Cybrid Reduces Oxidative Stress and Improves Mitochondrial Bioenergetics

Figure 6

Improvement of mitochondrial bioenergetics and oxidative stress is associated with recapture of mitochondrial network and antiapoptosis resistance. (a) Cells expressed mitochondrial Cox4-DsRed to display mitochondrial morphology under confocal microscope. Scale bar, 5 μm. (b) 50–100 cells were counted for each cell type. (c–e) Mitochondrial morphology was analyzed using Dagda’s method [26], as described in Materials and Methods. (f–j) Expression level of mitochondrial fusion protein (OPA1 and MFN2) and fission protein (FIS1 and DRP1). (k-l) Cellular apoptosis was induced by 6 h exposure of 500 nM staurosporine. Apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-FITC. , significantly different when compared to indicated group. CT, control; MF, MERRF; MF+WJ, MERRF cybrid-plus-WJMSC.

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