CURCUMIN INDUCES OSTEOGENIC DIFFERENTIATION IN HUMAN UMBILICAL CORD MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS

Resnick Auditorium

Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of curcumin to induce osteogenic differentiation in human umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUMSCs). Background. Curcumin (CUR), derived from curcuma longa, a potent inhibitor of NFºB, a ubiquitous transcription factor that modulates expression several genes involved in regulation bone metabolism. Methods. The hUMSCs obtained from Sciencell (Carlsbad, CA) were cultured under standard culture conditions (DMEM with 10% FBS and antibiotics. Cells 5x103 per well were plated in 96 well plate and treated with increasing doses of Curcumin (0.1, 0.5, 1, and 2 and 5μM) for 24, 48 and 72 hours. The cell viability was measured using MTT assay. Cells were treated with curcumin (1, 2 or 5uM) for 2 days, and then transferred to osteogenic medium. Cells grown in medium devoid of curcumin were used as control. Osteogic differentiation was assessed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) gene expression, osteopontin (OPN) using quantitative PCR. The ALP enzyme activity was measured by pNPP assay. Mineralization was assessed on day 21, by alizarin red staining. Results. Cell proliferation was significantly inhibited dose-dependent manner at alltime points. Curcumin enhanced ALP and OPN gene expression in a dose dependent manner, the maximal enhancement at 1 and 2 μM. A significant increase in ALP activity at 1 and 2 μM was observed on day 7 and 14. At day 21, enhanced matrix mineralization was observed in the cells treated with curcumin. Conclusion. The results of this study suggested that curcumin induces osteogenic differentiation of hUMSCs Grants. Grant Support NSUHPD.