Hossein Rafiei - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
Mehrdad Shariati - Department of Biology, Kazerun Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kazerun, Iran.
Jina Khayatzadeh - Department of Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.
Sima Afsharnezhad - Department of Biochemistry, Mashhad Branch, Medical Innovation Research Center of Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
Majid Farhoodi - Razi Vaccine & Serum Research Institute, Mashhad, Iran.

Background: Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal that has devastating effects on many animal tissues. In this study we investigated the effects of orally-dosed lead acetate II on osteocalcin gene (osteocalcin) expression in mesenchymal stem cells grown in an osteogenic medium. Osteocalcin is an abundant bone matrix differentiation protein. Methods: Twelve male Wistar rats were divided into three groups of four rats each. Two groups were fed orally with ۵۰ or ۱۰۰ ppm of lead acetate II with libitum feed and water for two months. The control group was fed with libitum feed and water only. Rats were euthanized and femoral bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) were extracted. The cells were cultured in osteogenic medium and osteocalcin expression was determined by real-time PCR. Results: Real-time PCR showed that osteocalcin expression was significantly less in the BM-MSCs of rats that received ۱۰۰ ppm of lead acetate II than in the BM-MSCs of the other groups (P<۰.۰۵), and that osteocalcin expression was less in the BM-MSCs of the group that received ۵۰ ppm of lead acetate II than in the control group. Conclusions: Doses of ۵۰ and ۱۰۰ ppm of lead acetate II in rats caused a significant decrease in osteocalcin expression in BM-MSCs grown in osteogenic medium.

Bone Marrow, Lead acetate, Osteocalcin, Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction, Stem Cells