title: [Effect of ecdysterone on the proliferation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in vitro].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of ecdysterone on the proliferation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  hUCMSCs isolated by enzyme digestion from human umbilical cord tissues were cultured and identified for the surface antigens using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). The cells were treated with ecdysterone at the concentrations of 0, 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 µg/ml, and the changes in the cell proliferation were detected using MTT assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The third-passage hUCMSCs were positive for CD29 and CD105 and negative for CD34 and CD45 as shown by flow cytometry. Treatment with ecdysterone resulted in significantly increased cell proliferation as compared to the control cells (P<0.05), but no significant differences were found in cells treated with 100, 150, and 200 µg/ml ecdysterone (P>0.05). The growth curves of the cells also demonstrated the definite effect of ecdysterone in promoting the proliferation of hUCMSCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ecdysterone can promote the proliferation of hUCMSCs in vitro with the optimal concentration of 100 µg/ml, suggesting its potential value in the enrichment of mesenchymal stem cells.
authors: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. zyz518836@163.com
authors: Yuan-zhong
authors: YZ
authors: Zhang
authors: Xiao-bing
authors: XB
authors: Fu
authors: Sha
authors: S
authors: Huang
authors: Kui
authors: K
authors: Ma
authors: Zi-liang
authors: ZL
authors: Zhang
authors: Chang-jiang
authors: CJ
authors: Feng
authors: Xu
authors: X
authors: Wu