| Abstract
In recent decades, mesenchymal stem cells originated from adipose tissue (adipose-derived stem cells, ASCs) have gained
increased attention for production of cell-based therapeutics. Emu oil as a natural compound showed antioxidant effects in
previous studies. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of crude emu oil on the proliferation, cell cycle progression,
stemness genes expression, and in vitro wound healing potential of ASCs. An emulsion of emu oil was prepared using egg
lecithin and butylated hydroxytoluene to improve bioavailability and solubility of emu oil in the expansion medium. The ASCs
were treated using a series of emu oil concentrations in emulsion form, diluted in expansion medium (0.03–3 mg/ml). The emu
oil-free emulsion was used as control treatment. The results revealed that emu oil (1.25 mg/ml) in emulsion form significantly
(p < 0.001) increased ASCs proliferation and colony formation. Additionally, emu oil caused upregulation of stemness marker
genes (Sox2, Oct4, Nanog, and Nestin) (p < 0.05). The cell cycle analysis after emu oil treatments showed an increase in the
population of ASCs in S-phase of the cell cycle. Besides, an accelerated in vitro scratch wound healing was observed in emu oiltreated
ASCs. Emu oil enhanced proliferation, colony formation, stemness genes expression, and in vitro wound healing of
ASCs. These findings suggest that emu oil treatment could maintain the stemness of ex vivo cultivated ASCs and enhance their
regenerative potential. |