Mohammad Husein Abnosi - Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Arak University, Arak ۳۸۱۵۶-۸-۸۳۴۹, Markazi Province, Arak, Iran
Malek Solemani Mehranjani۱ - Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Arak University, Arak ۳۸۱۵۶-۸-۸۳۴۹, Markazi Province, Arak, Iran
Hamidreza Momeni - Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Arak University, Arak ۳۸۱۵۶-۸-۸۳۴۹, Markazi Province, Arak, Iran
Elham Shojafar - Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Arak University, Arak ۳۸۱۵۶-۸-۸۳۴۹, Markazi Province, Arak, Iran
Mozhgan Barati - Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Arak University, Arak ۳۸۱۵۶-۸-۸۳۴۹, Markazi Province, Arak, Iran

Objective(s) Arsenic compounds are potent human carcinogen and produce a variety of stress responses in mammalian cells. Recently sodium arsenite has been recommended to be used as anti malignancy drug by American food and drug administration (FDA). In this study, we aimed to determine the apoptosis inducing effect of sodium arsenite on rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells exposed in vitro. Methodology Cell morphology was studied with the help of Hoechst and propidium iodide as well as with single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay), TUNEL assay and caspase activity base on immunocytochemistry using commercial kit were considered to study the mechanism of cell death. Results Our result showed that the sodium arsenite with concentration of ۰.۱ µM in ۳۶ hr induces caspase dependent apoptosis in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. This concentration is the lowest level of sodium arsenite to be reported with apoptosis induction ability in stem cells. Conclusion Since sodium arsenite is used in therapy, more research should be carried out on the effect of this chemical on stem cells, especially MSCs.

Apoptosis, Mesenchymal stem cells, Rats, Sodium arsenite