Fig. 1

Characterization of cord-derived MSCs and effect of JQ1 on their growth. a Phase contrast image of the cord-derived MSCs showing fibroblastoid morphology. Images acquired at 4× magnification. b Flow cytometric analysis for cell specific surface markers. Cord-derived MSCs were positive for MSC markers CD90, CD73, CD44, CD105, and CD29 and negative for hematopoietic stem cell markers CD34 and CD45. c Effect of JQ1 on cell morphology. Phase contrast images of cells treated with 0, 10, 100, and 500 nM for 24 hours a–d and for 72 hours e–h. Images acquired at 4× magnification. d Light micrographic images of cells treated with 0 nM a and 500 nM b JQ1 when cultured for 7 days. Images acquired at 10× magnification. MSCs lost fibroblastoid morphology and grew larger in size upon exposure to JQ1. e Effect of JQ1 on growth rate. JQ1 at concentrations of 100 and 500 nM resulted in a significant decrease in cell growth in comparison with the control cells in a time-dependent manner, while 10 nM showed no effect on cellular growth at 24 hours but showed significant increase at 72 hours. f Effect of JQ1 on cell metabolic activity as determined using the MTT assay. JQ1 at a concentration of 500 nM resulted in significant decrease in cell growth in comparison with the control cells, while 10 nM showed no effect on cellular growth. *p ≤0.05. FITC fluorescein isothiocyanate, JQ1 (S)-tert-butyl2-(4-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,3,9-trimethyl-6H-thieno[3,2-f][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a][1,4]diazepin-6-yl)acetate