Inhibition of iron overload-induced apoptosis and necrosis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by melatonin

Iron overload induces severe damage to several vital organs such as the liver, heart and bone, and thus contributes to the dysfunction of these organs. The aim of this study is to investigate whether iron overload causes the apoptosis and necrosis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and melatonin may prevent its toxicity. Perls' Prussion blue staining showed that exposure to increased concentrations of ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) induced a gradual increase of intracellular iron level in BMSCs. Trypan blue staining demonstrated that FAC decreased the viability of BMSCs in a concentration-dependent manner. Notably, melatonin protected BMSCs against apoptosis and necrosis induced by FAC and it was vertified by Live/Dead, TUNEL and PI/Hoechst stainings. Furthermore, melatonin pretreatment suppressed FAC-induced reactive oxygen species accumulation. Western blot showed that exposure to FAC resulted in the decrease of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and the increase of pro-apoptotic protein Bax and Cleaved Caspase-3, and necrosis-related proteins RIP1 and RIP3, which were significantly inhibited by melatonin treatment. At last, melatonin receptor blocker luzindole failed to block the protection of BMSCs apoptosis and necrosis by melatonin. Taken together, melatonin protected BMSCs from iron overload induced apoptosis and necrosis by regulating Bcl-2, Bax, Cleaved Caspase-3, RIP1 and RIP3 pathways.