PARKIN overexpression in human mesenchymal stromal cells from Wharton's jelly suppresses 6-hydroxydopamine-induced apoptosis: Potential therapeutic strategy in Parkinson's disease

6-OHDA induced apoptosis in MSCs via generation of H2O2, activation of c-JUN and PUMA, mitochondrial depolarization and nuclei fragmentation. Our findings suggest that PARKIN protects MSCs against 6-OHDA toxicity by partly interacting with H2O2, reducing the expression of c-JUN, PUMA, AIF and caspase-3, and maintaining the mitochondrial ΔΨm.