p53 promotes alveolar epithelial differentiation of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells <i>in vitro</i>

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been extensively studied for potential clinical use. Recently, increasing attention is being paid to the relationship between p53 and BMSCs differentiation. In this study, we investigated the effects of p53 on the alveolar epithelial differentiation of BMSCs. Rat BMSCs (rBMSCs) were cultured with and without hyperoxia-damaged lung tissue to observe their differentiation process in vitro. Furthermore, p53 expression was inhibited by pifithrin-α during rBMSCs differentiation. Transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, luciferase assay, and an analysis of cell proliferation and apoptosis levels were performed to examine the changes in rBMSCs. We found that rBMSCs in vitro exhibited alveolar epithelial differentiation when co-cultured with damaged lung tissue, and cell apoptosis, cell proliferation, and p53 levels of rBMSCs were significantly altered during the differentiation process. Furthermore, when p53 was inhibited in rBMSCs by pifithrin-α (a specific p53 inhibitor), apoptosis was alleviated, cell proliferation was promoted, and the potential alveolar epithelial differentiation of rBMSCs was blocked. Our results suggest that p53 can effectively regulate alveolar epithelial differentiation of rBMSCs. These results provide the basis for developing more effective cellular clinical therapies for lung diseases in further research.