Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Histone acetylation is one of mechanisms underlying induced cardiomyocyte differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of sodium butyrate, a histone deacetylate inhibitor, on differentiation of rat BMSCs into cardiomyocytes in vitro. 
METHODS: Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBM-MSCs) were isolated, cultured and identified. Passage 2 cells were induced to differentiate into cardiomyocytes by 1 mmol/L sodium butyrate.
RESULTS AND CONLUSION: The isolated BMSCs were positive for CD90, but they were negative for CD31, CD45. After addition of sodium butyrate, cell proliferation ability and histone deacetylase activity were significantly decreased, but no obvious apoptosis was observed. Real-time PCR results showed that after addition of sodium butyrate, the expression level of myocardial genes including GATA-4, MEF-2c, β-MHC was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Western blot results showed that after induced by sodium butyrate, the expression level of cardiac-specific proteins including connexin 43 and cardiac troponin T was significantly increased. Troponin T expression detected by immunofluorescence was consistent with that detected by western blot. These findings suggest that sodium butyrate can effectively induce BMSCs differentiation into cardiomyocytes in vitro. The mechanism may be related to inhibition of histone deacetylase activity and increase in histone acetylation.