Dexamethasone promotes mesenchymal stem cell apoptosis and inhibits osteogenesis by disrupting mitochondrial dynamics

Long‐term or heavy use of glucocorticoids can cause severe necrosis of the femoral head, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Recent studies have found that mitochondrial dynamics play an important role in femoral head necrosis. Here, we investigated the effect of dexamethasone on the mitochondrial function of mesenchymal stem cells. We observed that high concentrations of dexamethasone (10(−6) mol·L(−1)) decreased cell activity, promoted apoptosis, elevated levels of reactive oxygen species and disrupted mitochondrial dynamics. Furthermore, dexamethasone (10(−6) mol·L(−1)) inhibited osteogenesis of stem cells and promoted adipogenesis. These findings may facilitate greater understanding of the adverse effects of dexamethasone on the femoral head.