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Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the optimal candidates for myocardial infarction; however,the survival ratio of implanted cells in the infarcted heart is low.Autophagy is a complex "self-eating" process and could be utilized for cell survival under stresses.We have previously shown that the cholesterol lowering drug atorvastatin(ATV) could effectively activate autophagy via AMPK/mTOR pathway to enhance MSCs survival during hypoxia and serum deprivation (H/SD).Studies indicated that mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase(MEK/ERK1/2) pathway is important in mediating survival signaling.Therefore, we hypothesized that MEK/ERK1/2pathway also participates in ATV induced autophagy in MSCS under H/SD.