Effect of Hypercholesterolemic Patient Serum on The Viability and Characteristics of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have regenerative therapeutic potential, including for diseases related tohypercholesterolemia. This study aimed to assess how serum from hypercholesterolemia patients affects theviability and characteristics of MSCs. It also investigated changes in MSC morphology and cytokine secretionlevels of TNF-α and IL-10 after 3 days of serum treatment. The study divided into three groups: control 10%FBS, patient serum with cholesterol <200 mg/dL (P1), and patient serum with cholesterol >300 mg/dL(P2). MSCs were exposed serum for 3 days. Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay; morphology wasobserved microscopically; cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. Statistical analysis used one-wayANOVA with Tukey’s test for normal data and Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn’s post hoc for non-normal data.Viability was highest in the control group, slightly reduced in P1, and significantly lowered in P2.Morphologically, control and P1 MSCs showed spindle-shaped fibroblast-like cells with high-confluency; P2MSCs exhibited irregular, less elongated shapes and low-confluency. TNF-α levels were elevated in P1compared to control and increased in P2. IL-10 levels cytokine secreted by MSCs showed increased in P1compared to control and elevated in P2. Hypercholesterolemia serum reduced MSC proliferation, influencedmorphology, and differentially affected TNF-α and IL-10 secretion.