Priming of mesenchymal stem cells with a hydrosoluble form of curcumin allows keeping their mesenchymal properties for cell-based therapy development.

Mesenchymal stem cells are increasingly studied for their use as drug-carrier in addition to their intrinsic potential for regenerative medicine. They could be used to transport molecules with a poor bioavailability such as curcumin in order to improve their clinical usage. This natural polyphenol, well-known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has a poor solubility that limits its clinical potential. For this purpose, the use of NDS27, a curcumin salt complexed with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), displaying an increased solubility in aqueous solution, is preferred. This study aims to evaluate the uptake of NDS27 into skeletal muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells (mdMSCs) and the effects of such uptake onto their mesenchymal properties. It appeared that the uptake of NDS27 into mdMSCs is concentration-dependent and not time-dependent. The use of a concentration of 7 µmol/L which does not affect the viability and proliferation also allows preservation of their adhesion, invasion and T cell immunomodulatory abilities.