MEG3 regulates apoptosis of adipose-derived stem cells

In plastic surgery, the maneuverability and safety of autologous fat transplantation have become increasingly recognized and continuously improved. However, the uncertainty of adipocyte survival makes it difficult to predict postoperative effects. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) exhibit remarkable paracrine activity, and the number of ADSCs in adipose tissue is closely related to tissue survival. Maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) is known to modulate the apoptosis of various cell types. The present study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that MEG3 serves an important role in ADSC apoptosis by regulating the expression of p53, and to explore the regulatory mechanisms of p53 in ADSC apoptosis. MEG3 was overexpressed in ADSCs and these cells were evaluated for viability, TP53 expression, apoptosis, morphology, and Bax and Bcl-2 expression by performing MTT assays, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, flow cytometry analysis and western blotting. This study demonstrated that MEG3 may have an important role in the spontaneous apoptosis of ADSCs, and apoptosis induced by oxidative stress. In addition, this study revealed that p53 had a regulatory role in the downstream Bcl-2/Bax pathway. This study provides insight into the role of MEG3 in ADSC apoptosis, thereby facilitating the survival of ADSCs during adipose tissue transplantation. Further in vivo and in vitro experiments should be conducted, along with the development of clinical applications.