The effects of crocin and crocetin on immune cells of prostate cancer patients in co-culture with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Similarly to crocin and crocetin, Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) exhibit potent antiapoptotic and antioxidant properties. This study investigates the effects of crocin and crocetin on PBMCs of PCa patients co-cultured with AD-MSCs. We found that crocin and crocetin at concentrations of 3, 6, 12 mu M increased the cell viability of PBMCs co-cultured with AD- MSCs and at concentrations of 3, 6, 12, 25, 50, 100 mu M increased the cell viability of PBMCs without co-culture with AD-MSCs. At concentrations of 6, 12, 25 mu M, decreased the percentage of apoptosis and increased the percentage of (CD3+CD4+) and (CD3+CD8+) cells among PBMCs co-cultured with or without AD-MSCs. At a concentration of 6 mu M, also increased percentage of (CD45+CD19+) cells among PBMCs in co-culture. In addition, they at concentrations of 6, 12, 25 mu M decreased the level of MDA and increased SOD in PBMCs. Overall further research should evaluate the clinical effects of combining crocin and crocetin with AD-MSCs for treating PCa and other cancers.