Human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells protect neural cells from oxidative stress through paracrine mechanisms.

Aim: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have neuroprotective and immunomodulatory properties, which are partly mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs) secretion. We aimed to evaluate the effects of human Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs) and their EVs on rat hippocampal cultures subjected to hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ).

Materials & methods: Hippocampal dissociated cultures were either co-cultured with WJ-MSCs or treated with their EVs prior to H2 O2 exposure and reactive oxygen species levels and cell viability were evaluated.

Results: Coculture with WJ-MSCs or pre-incubation with EVs prior to the insult reduced reactive oxygen species after H2 O2 exposure. Cell viability was improved only when coculture was maintained following the insult, while EVs did not significantly improve cell viability.

Conclusion: WJ-MSCs have potential antioxidant and neuroprotective effects on hippocampal cultures which might be partially mediated by EVs.