Objective      To determine the effect of EMILIN3 gene on the proliferation of human marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and the differentiation into cartilage cells.       Methods      The adenovirus plasmid of EMILIN3 was constructed. The cells were transfected with the plasmid or the blank vector

and the cells without transfection served as control. The proliferation of these cells was detected by MTT assay. The expression of CollagenⅡ

Aggrecan and SOX9 at mRNA level was also detected with real-

time PCR.       Results       The proliferation was significantly increased in the hMSCs infected by the adenovirus plasmid of EMILIN3 than the cells with blank vector infection and control cells (

P

0.05). But there was no difference in the proliferation between the 2 later groups of cells (

P

0.05). The expression of CollagenⅡ

Aggrecan and SOX9 was increased by 2.5

2.7 and 2.1 times respectively in the hMSCs infected by the adenovirus with EMILIN3 than that in the hMSCs infected by the control adenovirus (

P

0.05). Compared with the hMSCs

there was no difference in the expression of above genes in the hMSCs infected by the blank vector.       Conclusion       EMILIN3 transfection enhances hMSCs proliferation and stimulate the cells to differentiate into cartilage cells.