Guaraná (Paullinia cupana) improves the proliferation and oxidative metabolism of senescent adipocyte stem cells derived from human lipoaspirates

Abstract Cellular senescence is a limiting factor in the proliferative expansion and quality of adult mesenchymal stem cells, often making them unviable in regenerative clinical practice. In vitro supplementation by antioxidant food extract of senescent mesenchymal stem cells could reverse these undesirable characteristics. To evaluate this hypothesis, senescent adipocyte-mesenchymal cells (ASCs) obtained from human lipoaspirates were exposed at different concentrations of hydro-alcoholic guarana ( Paullinia cupana ) extract for 72 h. After the incubation, we performed a proliferative assay. Oxidative stress indicators and antioxidant enzymes (biochemical activity and gene expression by qRT-PCR analysis) in these senescent cells were also evaluated. In senescent cells exposed to guarana at 5 mg/g concentration increased cellular proliferation occurred compared to untreated senescent cells (79.1 ± 15.7%). Concomitantly, a decrease in several oxidative stress indicators was observed in senescent cells treated with guarana. A genomic effect of guarana exposure was observed when the modulation of antioxidant enzymes genes was analyzed. The results described here suggest that the food extract supplementation could reverse the initial senescence processes in ASCs. These results have potential application in regenerative medicine.