Panax notoginseng saponins protect rabbit bone marrow stromal cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis

Objective: To investigate the effects of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNSs) on hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Methods: BMSCs were isolated from 2-month-old New Zealand rabbits and cultured with different doses of PNSs to determine the most effective dose of PNSs by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and alkaline phosphafase (ALP) assay. The most effective dose of PNSs was used in subsequent experiments. Apoptosis of BMSCs was induced by hydrogen peroxide (100 μmol/L). BMSCs in PNSs group were also pretreated with PNSs before hydrogen peroxide exposure. Reactive oxygen species (ROSs) levels were measured by using 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate. Apoptosis rate of BMSCs was observed by flow cytometry after staining with Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide. The protein expression of Bax in BMSCs was analyzed by Western blotting. Activity of caspase-3 was measured by spectrofluorometry. Results: The most effective dose of PNSs was 0.1 g/L. PNSs at dose of 0.1 g/L markedly reversed the augmentation of ROS level, decreased the apoptosis rate of, and the Bax expression and activity of caspase-3 in BMSCs treated with hydrogen peroxide (P<0.01). Conclusion: PNSs can protect cultured rabbit BMSCs from hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis by decreasing oxidative stress, Bax expression and caspase-3 activity.