OBJECTIVETo study the effect of emodin on the proliferation, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis and expression of hematopoietic growth factors in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).

METHODSThe proliferation of rat BMSCs exposed to emodin was analyzed using MTT assay, and flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis and cell cycle changes of the exposed cells. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression of the hematopoietic growth factors.

RESULTSExposure to 0.1 and 1 µg/ml emodin for 48 and 72 h significantly enhanced the proliferation of BMSCs (P<0.01). The cells exposed to 0.1 µg/ml emodin showed significantly increased percentage of cells in G2/M phase (P<0.05), and 1 µg/ml emodin exposure caused increased cells in S phase (P<0.01) and decreased cells in G1/G0 phase (P<0.05). Emodin exposure for 48 h resulted in significantly decreased cell apoptosis (P<0.05). BMSCs treated with 0.1 µg/ml emodin showed a significant increase in the expression of thrombopoietin mRNA (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONEmodin can promote the proliferation of BMSCs in vitro possibly by regulating the cell cycle distribution, cell apoptosis and thrombopoietin expression.