ABSTRACT
Objective: We used sodium nitroprusside [SNP], a nitric oxide [NO] releasing molecule, to understand its effect on viability and proliferation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells [BM-MSCs]
Materials and Methods: This experimental study evaluated the viability and morphology of MSCs in the presence of SNP [100 to 2000 micro M] at 1, 5, and 15 hours. We chose the 100, 1000, and 2000 micro M concentrations of SNP for one hour exposure for further analyses. Cell proliferation was investigated by the colony forming assay and population doubling number [PDN]. Na[+], K[+], and Ca2[+] levels as well as activities of lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], aspartate transaminase [AST], and alanine transaminase [ALT] were measured
Results: The viability of MSCs dose-dependently reduced from 750 micro M at one hour and 250 micro M at 5 and 15 hours. The 100 micro M caused no change in viability, however we observed a reduction in the cytoplasmic area at 5 and 15 hours. This change was not observed at one hour. The one hour treatment with 100 micro M of SNP reduced the mean colony numbers but not the diameter when the cells were incubated for 7 and 14 days. In addition, one hour treatment with 100 micro M of SNP significantly reduced ALT, AST, and ALP activities whereas the activity of LDH increased when incubated for 24 hours. The same treatment caused an increase in Ca2[+] and reduction in Na+ content. The 1000 and 2000 micro M concentrations reduced all the factors except Ca2[+] and LDH which increased
Conclusion: The high dose of SNP, even for a short time, was toxic. The low dose was safe with respect to viability and proliferation, especially over a short time. However elevated LDH activity might increase anaerobic metabolism