Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Qadisiyah, Iraq
2
Branch of Basic Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Qadisiyah, Iraq
Abstract
Introduction: Umbilical cord–derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) are widely utilized in regenerative medicine owing to their proliferative and secretory capabilities. However, the effects of alcohol- and tobacco-derived metabolites, specifically acetaldehyde and cotinine, on UCMSC viability and function remain poorly understood. This study aimed to compare the cytotoxic and secretory responses of rat UCMSCs following in vitro exposure to acetaldehyde and cotinine.
Materials and Methods: Rat UCMSCs were cultured in DMEM/F12 and seeded at 5×10⁵ cells per T-25 flask. A total of 40 flasks were allocated to three groups: acetaldehyde (30 µM, n = 15), cotinine (14 µM, n = 15), and untreated controls (n = 10). Cells were incubated for 5 days under standard conditions. Cell counts were recorded daily, and the levels of VEGF, HGF, IGF-1, SDF-1/CXCL12, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β were quantified using a multiplex immunoassay. Statistical analysis was performed using two-way ANOVA.
Results: Acetaldehyde exposure resulted in a progressive decline in UCMSC numbers from 4.8×10⁵ to 2.8×10⁵ over 5 days, whereas cotinine increased cell numbers from 5.4×10⁵ to 9.0×10⁵. Acetaldehyde induced an early peak, followed by subsequent declines in VEGF, HGF, IGF-1, SDF-1/CXCL12, and IL-6, while TNF-α and IL-1β showed variable patterns. In contrast, cotinine led to significantly less expansion compared with untreated controls, although it did induce a modest increase from baseline.
Conclusions: Acetaldehyde exerts a markedly more pronounced cytotoxic and suppressive effect on rat UCMSCs compared with cotinine, which induces a gradual increase in cell proliferation and secretory activity. However, cotinine's effect is less inhibitory than acetaldehyde, yet it still significantly reduces expansion relative to untreated cells. These findings underscore the differential biological impacts of alcohol- and tobacco-related metabolites on stem cell function in vitro.
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