Human serum promotes the proliferation but not the stemness genes expression of human adipose-derived stem cells

Recently human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) have shown much therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine. However, fetal bovine serum (FBS) used in culturing human cells may give risk to viral and prion transmission as well as immune rejection. Human serum (HS) is a safer growth supplement in human cell culture but its effects have not been well established. Therefore the objectives of this study were to compare the effects of HS versus FBS on the proliferation and stemness gene expression of ASCs. ASCs were cultured for 5 passages in medium supplemented with either 10% HS or 10% FBS. ASCs proliferation rate and viability were determined at every passage. Total RNA was extracted at passage 5 (P5) and quantitative PCR was carried out to determine the stemness gene expression level of SOX-2, Nanog3, BST-1, REX-1, ABCG2 and FGF-4. The results showed ASC cultured in 10% HS scored greater proliferation rates and viability compared to 10% FBS. ASCs proliferated significantly faster in 10% HS compared to 10% FBS at P2, P3, and P4 (p < 0.05). In quantitative gene expression analysis, ASCs cultured in 10% FBS showed a significant increase of BST-1, REX-1 and ABCG2 expression compared to 10% HS. In conclusion, HS promotes ASCs proliferation and viability but its ability to support the stemness property of ASCs was inferior to FBS.