Effects of platelet-rich plasma on the activity of human menstrual blood-derived stromal cells in vitro

BACKGROUND: Human menstrual blood-derived stromal cells (MenSCs) are highly proliferative and show multiple differentiation capacity. The convenience and non-invasiveness make MenSC a novel cell source for regenerative medicine applications. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) contains abundant growth factors which are beneficial to wound healing. However, the influence of PRP on MenSCs remains elusive. Here, we evaluated the role of PRP in MenSCs proliferation and assessed the effects of PRP on endometrial receptivity regulation in vitro. METHODS: MenSCs cultured with 10% activated PRP were compared with those cultured with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Differences in cell proliferation, differentiation, and endometrial receptivity-related gene expression were evaluated. RESULTS: Notably, 10% activated PRP significantly promoted MenSCs proliferation and adipogenic/osteogenic differentiation while suppressing apoptosis. Expression of the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) marker CD105 and the perivascular markers SUSD2 and CD146 were elevated after PRP treatment. Moreover, short-term PRP stimulation activated the phosphorylation of Akt and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathways, upregulated expression of FoxO1, LIF, and IL1-β, and downregulated IL-6. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, PRP could promote MenSC proliferation, markedly accelerate cell stemness, and evaluate MenSC functions by enhancing the expression of angiogenesis and endometrial receptivity markers, suggesting its potential use as a promising supplement for MenSCs in endometrial regenerative medicine. Our results provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of co-transplantation of PRP combined with MenSCs. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13287-018-0795-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.