The effect of expressing dephosphorylated GYS on MSCs

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in regenerative medicine, including the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. However, implanted MSCs disappear within days, constraining therapeutic efficacy, which is largely attributed to nutrient deprivation. In this study, we established glycogen metabolism engineering strategies in mammalian cells. By expressing a functionally optimized glycogen synthase (GYSmut), MSCs could accumulate large amounts of glycogen rapidly as a reserve substance. We performed RNA-seq on engineered MSCs to understand its effects. Overall design: MSCs were transduced with lentivirus expressing mutated dephosphorylated GYS1 (GYSmut group), while MSCs of the control group expressed GFP.