Nafiseh Sadat Tabasi - Immunology Research Center, Bu-Ali Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Karim Nikkhah - Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Fahimeh Lavi Arab - Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Forozan Yousefi - Immunology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mahmoud Mahmoudi - Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Maryam Rastin - Immunology Research Center, Bu-Ali Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of central nervous system (CNS) affecting more than 2 million people worldwide with extensive socioeconomic burdens Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a well-known spice with active pharmacologic components including crocin, crocetin, safranal and picrocrocin. Similar to crocin/ crocetin, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to display immunomodulatory and anti-oxidant properties, which could be beneficial in treatment of various autoimmune disease. In the current study, we have evaluated the effects of crocin and crocetin on the functions of MSCs derived adipose tissue form multiple sclerosis.Methods: We used MTT assay to evaluate MSCs proliferation, and flow cytometry assay to measure the percentage of apoptotic MSCs and Tregs populations.Results: Our findings indicated that both crocin and crocetin at low concentrations (2.5, 5µM) exhibited significant effects on increasing MSCs viability and on protecting them against apoptosis-induced death. Moreover, increased Treg population was observed at lower doses.Conclusions: Altogether, both crocin and crocetin at lower concentrations exhibited more efficacies on MSCs with a better effect toward crocin. It seems that crocin and crocetin may be considered as complementary treatments for the MS patients who undergo MSCs transplantation.

Immunomodulatory, Multiple Sclerosis, Mesenchymal stem cells.