Introduction: Di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) as an plasticizer is added to the polyvinyl chloride products. DEHP is an environmental pollutant which via oral, inhaling and dermal contact may enter the human body. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of DEHP on viability, proliferation and the expression of P53, Cdk2, Cdk4 and GAPDH genes in the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs).
Methods: : MSCs after 3rd passage was treated with 100 and 500 μM of DEHP for 24 and 48 hours. The viability was evaluated using trypan blue and MTT assay. In addition the proliferation ability was also studied with the help of population doubling number (PDN) and colony forming assay (CFA). Meanwhile the expression of P53, Cdk2, Cdk4 and GAPDH genes was estimated using revers-transcriptase PCR.
Results: the data showed that the DEHP with a dose and time dependent manner caused the significant reduction of viability and proliferation ability of the MSCs. In addition, this environment pollutant reduced the expression of the Cdk2 and Cdk4 whereas the expression of the P53 was down regulated.
Conclusion: this environment pollutant via changing the expression of the genes involve in the cell cycle can reduce the viability and proliferation ability of the MSCs.