Low Concentration of Sodium Nitroprusside Promotes Mesenchymal Stem Cell Viability and Proliferation Through Elevation of Metabolic Activity

Background: Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) releases nitric oxide which has signaling role. Objectives: This study was conducted to understand the role of low concentration of SNP on viability, proliferation and biochemical properties of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Materials and Methods: MSCs were used to evaluate the viability and morphology in presence of SNP (۱ to ۱۰۰ µM) at ۱۲, ۲۴ and ۳۶ hours. Then ۱۰, ۵۰ and ۱۰۰ µM of SNP as well as ۲۴ hours were selected for further study. Cell proliferation was investigated by colony forming assay and population doubling number (PDN). Calcium (Ca۲+) potassium (K+) and sodium (Na+) level as well as activity of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured. Results: The MSCs viability increased when treatment with ۱ and ۱۰ µM at all the treatment periods while ۹۰ and ۱۰۰ µM caused significant reduction after ۲۴ and ۳۶ hours. Also ۱۰ µM caused elevation whereas ۵۰ and ۱۰۰ µM showed reduction of proliferation ability. We observed morphological changes and significant reduction of all the investigated enzymes with ۱۰۰ µM. Activity of ALT and AST were elevated with ۱۰ µM after ۲۴ hours, whereas LDH and ALP activities were not changed. Na+, K+ and Ca۲+ was not changed due to ۱۰ and ۵۰ µM treatments, whereas ۱۰۰ µM only elevated the level of calcium and sodium ions. Conclusions: Low concentration of SNP caused increase of viability and proliferation due to metabolic activity elevation. But the high concentration of SNP induced cell viability and proliferation reduction caused by metabolic and ionic imbalance as well as infrastructure alteration.