Overexpression of FGF-21 attenuates apoptosis in MSCs. Caspase 3,7 activities in mCherry control and FGF-21 overexpressing MSCs were determined at 24 hours after exposure to A) H2O2 (50 μM, 100 μM, 200 μM, and 400 μM), B) TNF-α (10 ng/ml, 20 ng/ml, and 50 ng/ml), or C) staurosporine (2 nM and 10 nM). Values are presented as % increase from corresponding vehicle-treated control ± SEM (n=6–8 per group); ** P< 0.01 and **** P < 0.0001 between FGF-21 overexpressing MSCs and mCherry control groups (Student’s t-test or one-way ANOVA, posthoc-Tukey’s test).