Human menstrual blood-derived stem cells protect H9c2 cells against hydrogen peroxide-associated apoptosis

Human menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MenSCs) hold great promise for regenerative medicine. Here, H₂O₂-associated damage in H9c2 cells was employed as an in vitro ischemia-reperfusion model, and the transwell system was used to explore the beneficial effects of MenSCs on the H₂O₂-induced damage of myocardial H9c2 cells. H₂O₂ treatment resulted in decreased viability and migration rate, with increased apoptosis levels in cells. By contrast, upon co-culture with MenSCs, H9c2 cell viability and migration were increased, whereas the apoptotic rate decreased. Additionally, western blot and qRT-PCR showed that MenSCs mediated the anti-apoptotic role by downregulating the pro-apoptotic genes Bax and caspase-3, while upregulating the anti-apoptotic effector Bcl-2. Furthermore, co-culture with MenSCs resulted in elevated expression of N-cadherin after H₂O₂ treatment. These findings indicate that MenSCs protect H9c2 cells against H₂O₂-associated programmed cell death and would help develop therapeutic tools for cardiomyocyte apoptosis associated with oxidative stress.