Quantitative proteomic analysis of MSC and electrically stimulated MSC (epMSC) secretomes

This study aimed to investigate the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) on the secretome of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Using quantitative proteomics, we identified a total of 435 proteins secreted by MSCs and ES-treated MSCs (epMSCs), among which 418 were common between groups, with 14 and 8 unique to the epMSC and MSC groups, respectively. Differential expression analysis revealed that 42 proteins were upregulated and 49 were downregulated in the epMSC secretome. Functional enrichment analyses indicated that ES enhances the pro-angiogenic properties of MSCs by modulating pathways such as VEGFA-VEGFR2 signaling and the complement cascade. These findings provide insight into how ES alters MSC-derived secretomes to promote vascularization, which may have therapeutic relevance in regenerative medicine.