The Effects of Nicotine and Caffeine Treatment on the Vitality and Regenerative Potentials of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Previous studies indicated that Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) express some of the nicotinic receptor subunits and adenosine receptors. Therefore, MSCs function may be controlled by two very consuming environmental substance like nicotine (nicotinic receptor-agonist) and caffeine (adenosine antagonist). The purpose of the present study is to determine the role of nicotine or caffeine on the some of the function of MSCs.

The mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from the bone marrow of NMRI. The cells were incubated with caffeine (0.1mM) and or with nicotine (0.1µM) for 48 hours. In a set of experiments, the cells were trypsinized and the vitality, the biological activity of cell membranes and the potentials mitochondrial redaction of them were assumed. In another experiments, the cutler plates were scratched with tip of the sampler, and the regeneration velocity of scar was evaluated by an optical camera.

Treatment of MSCs with nicotine caused a significant increase in the absolute number of MSCS, concurrent with an increase in mitochondrial function. While caffeine decreased the vitality of cells, it also promoted a significant reduction in mitochondrial activity of remnant live cells. Nicotine induced a significant reduction in membrane activity of cells, while caffeine treatment exhibited a marked raise in neutral red uptake by MSCs compared to neutral red uptake by control cells. Regenerative assay showed that nicotine markedly promoted the regenerative potential of MSCs, while caffeine markedly reversed the regenerative potential of MSCs.

It seems that nicotine at used dose promoted the regenerative potential of MSCs, while caffeine had a revers effects.