Effect of alpha tocopherol supplementation on expression of platelet derived growth factor in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (In vitro study)

– Alpha-tocopherol is a natural macromolecule that acts as a biological antioxidant in the cell membranes. Antioxidant has been shown to be beneficial in suppressing the damaging effects of oxygen free radicals in cells during bone healing, however, the mechanism is not clearly understood. The cascade of bone healing involves the recruitment of platelets and white blood cells and the subsequent release of essential growth factors such as platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) which induce mesenchymal cell migration, activation and proliferation, and angiogenesis. In vitro studies have demonstrated PDGF to be mitogenic for osteoblasts. This in vitro study evaluated the effect of alpha-tocopherol supplementation on PDGF expression in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell culture. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSC) culture was divided into experimental and control group. In experimental group hBM-MSC was cultured in alpha-tocopherol-supplemented medium, while in control group the cells was cultured in basic medium. Cell samples from each group were fixated after 1, 3, and 7 days of culture and subsequently immune-stained to observe the expression of PDGF using fluorescent microscope. Data was statistically analysed with ANOVA with p value < 0.05. The expression of PDGF was significantly higher in experimental group compared to that in control group in all observation periods. Alpha tocopherol supplementation in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells increases platelet derived growth factor expression.