Evaluating the effects of L-carnitine on albino rat's gingiva-derived stem cells (In-Vitro Study)

Stem cells as therapy is currently a well-established scientific research topic. Poor maintenance and survival of cells supplied to the damaged tissue are barriers to improving the efficacy of regenerative medicine. Antioxidants such as L-carnitine are used to promote cell survival and maintenance properties. This study aims to assess the effects of L-carnitine on albino rat gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells proliferation.

Rat gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and exposed to 0, 1, 3, and 10 Mm of L-carnitine. Flow cytometry was then utilized to measure gene and protein expression levels for CD90, CD105, CD45, and CD19. The MTT test was used to examine the proliferation of cells. The proportion of apoptosis was determined using the Annexin V/PI technique. Cell cycle investigations to assess cells and identify the percentages of cells in the G0/G1, S, and G2/M phases. Expression of TGF-β gene has been evaluated using Real time‑PCR analysis.

The results showed that gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells, including CD90 and CD105, consistently showed positive immunostaining, whereas CD45 and CD19 were weakly positive or negative. Concentration-dependent increase of growth proliferation, more rapid proliferation of the cells treated with the highest L-carnitine concentration (10 mM) after 72 h (0.934 ± 0.063). Cells treated with 10 mM L-carnitine showed considerably decreased percentages of necrotic (2.38 ± 0.55), late (1.23 ± 0.90), early apoptotic cells (1.18 ± 0.13), and increased the percentage of viable cells (95.13 ± 1.61).

Our findings suggest that adding L-carnitine to gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells during expansion enables efficient and viable cell production.