title: Dexamethasone has variable effects on mesenchymal stromal cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dexamethasone (Dex) is a potent synthetic member of the glucocorticoid class of steroid drugs. Frequently, Dex has been used to enhance osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC). Recently, Dex was applied to promote MSC proliferation, because of the rare frequency of MSC in bone marrow, and could protect the cells from apoptosis. The effects of Dex on MSC cytobiology behavior needs to be investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  MSC were obtained from human umbilical cord. The surface phenotype and functional characterization of MSC cultured with different concentrations of Dex were investigated, in comparison with a control group, including MSC proliferation, apoptosis, cytokine expression and immunosuppression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Different concentrations of Dex exerted diverse effects on MSC proliferation and apoptosis. Dex was also able to affect the pattern of cytokine expression of MSC. Furthermore, Dex impaired immunosuppression of MSC on peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A low dose of Dex favors MSC expansion in vitro, and protects against apoptosis. It is not suitable for MSC to be pre-treated with Dex when they are to be used to treat immunologic disease. However, when MSC are applied to promote angiogenesis, it is beneficial for them to be pre-treated with 10(-9) mol/L Dex.
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Hanyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Delin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Tianxiang
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Yongjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D003907:Dexamethasone