A New Accessible Source of Endometrial Mesenchymal Stem Cells: A Promising Strategy for Liver Regeneration and Repair in a Rat Model of Chemotherapy-Induced Injury Publisher



Noory P ; Hajmoradi H ; Abbasi M ; Bahrami N ; Ai J
Source: Physiology and Pharmacology (Iran) Published:2025

Abstract

Introduction: Alkylating agents, commonly used in chemotherapy, can cause significant liver damage by inducing cell death pathways. Human menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HuMenSCs), with their remarkable proliferative capacity and easy accessibility, offer a potential treatment for this injury. Methods: We investigated the impact of transplanting HuMenSCs in rats using a liver damage model caused by Busulfan injection (36 mg/kg, i.p.). Engraftment was confirmed using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Hepatic morphology was assessed via histopathological examination. Apoptosis was quantified by TUNEL assay and real-time PCR analysis of apoptotic (Bax) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl2) gene expression. Results: HuMenSCs effectively engrafted into injured liver tissue. Histopathological examination revealed hepatic morphology significantly improved in the group treated with HuMenSCs, with reduced inflammation, congestion, and sinusoidal dilation. Additionally, both the TUNEL assay and real-time PCR analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in apoptosis and a shift toward the downregulation of pro-apoptotic gene expression (Bax) in the group that received HuMenSCs treatment when compared with the sham (p < 0.0001) and negative control groups (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The results of our research suggest that HuMenSCs transplantation effectively mitigates Busulfan-induced liver injury by inhibiting apoptosis and promoting liver regeneration. These findings demonstrate the promise of HuMenSCs as a novel therapeutic approach for treating liver damage caused by chemotherapy. © 2025, Iranian Society of Physiology and Pharmacology. All rights reserved.