Mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrows (BMSCs) and
curcumin derived from turmeric were used for
osteoarthritis (OA) treatment, respectively. We invested the effects of
curcumin supplementation for BMSC
therapeutic effects. In vitro, rat BMSCs were identified by dual-immunofluorescent staining of CD44 and CD90, and flow cytometry. Primary articular chondrocytes were identified by
toluidine blue staining and immunofluorescent staining of Col2a1. EdU incorporation, migration assay, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot analyses were performed to evaluate the alterations of chondrocytes cocultured with BMSCs. In vivo, the rat model of OA was established by
monoiodoacetic acid. After
intra-articular injection of allogeneic BMSCs, articular cartilage damage and OA progression were evaluated by histological staining, and
Osteoarthritis Research Society International and Mankin score evaluation. Although
curcumin alone did not improve cell viability of primary articular chondrocytes, it promoted proliferation and migration of chondrocytes when cocultured with BMSCs. Meanwhile, the expression of anabolic genes in chondrocytes was remarkably increased both at
mRNA and
protein levels. In OA rats,
curcumin and BMSCs cooperated to greatly promote articular cartilage repair and retard OA progression. Therefore,
curcumin supplementation enhanced the BMSC function for the proliferation and migration of articular chondrocytes, and anabolic gene expression of extracellular matrix in articular chondrocytes in vitro, and the generation of articular cartilage in vivo. Our study shed light on the potential clinical application of
curcumin cooperated with BMSCs in cartilage repair for OA treatment.