Interferon-gamma but not TNF alpha promotes neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth of murine adult neural stem cells

Neural trauma, such as traumatic brain injury or stroke, results in a vigorous inflammatory response at and near the site of injury, with cytokine production by endogenous glial cells and invading immune cells. Little is known of the effect that these cytokines have on neural stem cell function. Here we examine the effects of two inflammatory cytokines, interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), on adult neural stem cells. Neural stem cells grown in the presence of either cytokine failed to generate neurospheres. Cytotoxicity assays showed that TNF alpha but not IFN gamma was toxic to the neural stem cells under proliferative conditions. Under differentiating conditions, neither cytokine was toxic; however, IFN gamma enhanced neuronal differentiation, rapidly increasing beta III-tubulin positive cell numbers 3-4 fold and inhibiting astrocyte generation. Furthermore, neurite outgrowth and the number of neurites per neuron was enhanced in cells differentiated in the presence of IFN gamma. Therefore, both inflammatory cytokines examined have substantial, but different effects on neural stem cell function and suggests that regulation of the inflammatory environment following brain injury may influence the ability of neural stem cells to repair the damage.     

Hepatocyte growth factor promotes neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells derived from embryonic stem cells

We previously reported that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) promoted proliferation of neurospheres and neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from mouse embryonic brain. In this study, spheres from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells were generated by floating culture following co-culture on PA6 stromal cells. In contrast to the behavior of the neurospheres derived from embryonic brain, addition of HGF to the growth medium of the floating cultures decreased the number of spheres derived from ES cells. When spheres were stained using a MAP-2 antibody, more MAP-2-positive cells were observed in spheres cultured with HGF. When HGF was added to the growth and/or differentiation medium, more MAP-2-positive cells were also obtained. These results suggest that HGF promotes neuronal differentiation of NSCs derived from ES cells.     

Monoamine oxidase A regulates neural differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) A is the major metabolizing enzyme of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) which regulates early brain development. In this study, wild-type (WT) and MAO A^neo embryonic stem (ES) cell lines were established from the inner cell mass of murine blastocysts and their characteristics during ES and differentiating stages were studied. Our results show that the differentiation to neural cells in MAO A^neo ES cells was reduced compared to WT, suggesting MAO A played a regulatory role in stem cells neural differentiation.     

神经干细胞分化过程中bHLH基因表达

目的 通过检测神经干细胞分化过程中抑制型和激活型碱性螺旋（bHLH）转录调控因子mRNA的表达，探讨神经干细胞定向分化机制。方法 小鼠胎脑细胞原代培养并鉴定。用全反义维甲酸（RA）诱导神经干细胞分化，通过反转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测神经干细胞分化前以及分化后1d、2d、3d、5d和10d时Hesl、Hess、Mashl、Mathl及NeumDmRNA的表达。结果 HeslmRNA在神经干细胞分化前后均表达，无显著差异；HessmRNA随分化时间延长表达下降；NeuroDmRNA和MashlmRNA仅在已分化神经元中表达；MathlmRNA在分化后期表达明显。结论 神经干细胞分化过程中bHLH转录因子mRNA的表达具有明显的时相性，这将为最终揭示神经干细胞分化调控机制提供实验基础。     

Mash1在室管膜前下区神经干细胞向神经元分化中的作用

目的研究Mashl在室管膜前下区(SVZa)神经干细胞向神经元分化中的作用。方法体外分离培养新生0 d昆明小鼠的SVZa神经干细胞,原位杂交检测Mashl在SVZa神经干细胞的表达;构建Mashl与绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)正义、反义融合蛋白表达质粒,转染SVZa神经干细胞,GFP活体荧光标记SVZa神经干细胞;采用细胞计数和流式细胞仪检测在Mashl作用下SVZa神经干细胞分化为神经元的比例。结果体外培养的新生0 d昆明小鼠的SVZa神经干细胞Mashl原位杂交检测阳性;Mashl-GFP 组SVZa神经干细胞分化为神经元的比例明显高于空白对照组;Mashl-GFP-组 SVZa神经干细胞分化为神经元的比例明显低于空白对照组。结论体外培养的新生0 d昆明小鼠的SVZa神经干细胞表达Mashl;Mashl可以促进SVZa神经干细胞向神经元方向分化。     

Cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation 1-engineered embryonic neural stem cells enhance neuronal differentiation and neurobehavioral recovery after experimental traumatic brain injury

Our previous study showed that cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation 1(CEND1)may participate in neural stem cell cycle exit and oriented differentiation.However,whether CEND1-transfected neural stem cells can improve the prognosis of traumatic brain injury remained unclear.In this study,we performed quantitative proteomic analysis and found that after traumatic brain injury,CEND1 expression was downregulated in mouse brain tissue.Three days after traumatic brain injury,we transplanted CEND1-transfected neural stem cells into the area surrounding the injury site.We found that at 5 weeks after traumatic brain injury,transplantation of CEND1-transfected neural stem cells markedly alleviated brain atrophy and greatly improved neurological function.In vivo and in vitro results indicate that CEND1 overexpression inhibited the proliferation of neural stem cells,but significantly promoted their neuronal differentiation.Additionally,CEND1 overexpression reduced protein levels of Notch1 and cyclin D1,but increased levels of p21 in CEND1-transfected neural stem cells.Treatment with CEND1-transfected neural stem cells was superior to similar treatment without CEND1 transfection.These findings suggest that transplantation of CEND1-transfected neural stem cells is a promising cell therapy for traumatic brain injury.This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the School of Biomedical Engineering of Shanghai Jiao Tong University,China(approval No.2016034)on November 25,2016.     

Ascorbic acid responsive genes during neuronal differentiation of embryonic stem cells

Ascorbic acid has been reported to enhance differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells into neurons, however, the specific functions of ascorbic acid have not been defined yet. To address this issue, gene expression profiling was performed using cDNA microarray. Ascorbic acid increased the expressions of genes involved in neurogenesis, maturation, and neurotransmission. Furthermore, statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test revealed ascorbic acid significantly modulated the genes involved in cell adhesion and development category. These results provide information on the role for ascorbic acid during neuronal differentiation of ES cells and might contribute to large-scale generation of neurons for future clinical treatment.     

神经干细胞分化过程中c-myc内含子结合蛋白1与c-myc基因表达研究

目的研究神经干细胞分化为胶质细胞过程中c-myc内含子结合蛋白1(MIBP1)基因与c-myc基因的表达变化。方法从孕16d胚胎鼠脑组织中分离神经干细胞,以专用培养基IMDM(含有B27添加剂,重组人上皮生长因子、重组人碱性成纤维细胞生长因子-2、L-谷氨酸和黄体酮)进行培养。应用胶原及含10%胎牛血清、抗生素的分化培养基,诱导细胞向胶质细胞及神经元方向分化,第1天细胞贴壁启动分化,第7天明显分化,第14天进入终末分化。经过振荡处理,进一步得到纯化星形胶质细胞,采用胶质纤维酸性蛋白免疫组化方法鉴定细胞分化。分别提取分化前及分化后第1、7和14天神经干细胞的RNA,应用逆转录-多聚酶链反应方法检测神经干细胞中MIBP1与c-myc基因的表达,以β-actin作为内参照物,应用图像分析仪对电泳条带进行定量分析,观察两基因在神经干细胞分化中的作用。结果在神经干细胞分化过程中,MIBP1基因表达逐渐增强,其中未分化神经干细胞为(63.53±11.97)%,培养第1、7和14天表达率分别为(70.04±16.10)%、(79.09±15.40)%和(99.65±0.54)%。而c-myc基因表达呈逐渐降低,未分化神经干细胞为(99.76±7.62)%;培养第1、7和14天表达率分别为(75.20±12.33)%、(45.65±10.11)%和(33.31±4.34)%。两基因分别与相应未分化组比较,差异具有极显著性意义(均P<0.001)。星形胶质细胞纯化前后MIBP1基因表达量无明显变化。结论在神经干细胞分化为胶质细胞的过程中MIBP1基因表达逐渐增强,同时c-myc基因表达受到抑制。提示MIBP1基因与胶质细胞的分化过程相关,可能通过抑制c-myc基因的表达而实现调控作用。     

Photoperiodic regulation of androgen receptor and steroid receptor coactivator-1 in Siberian hamster brain

Seasonal changes in the neuroendocrine actions of gonadal steroid hormones are triggered by fluctuations in daylength. The mechanisms responsible for photoperiodic influences upon the feedback and behavioral effects of testosterone in Siberian hamsters are poorly understood. We hypothesized that daylength regulates the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and/or steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) in specific forebrain regions. Hamsters were castrated and implanted with either oil-filled capsules or low doses of testosterone; half of the animals remained in 16L/8D and the rest were kept in 10L/14D for the ensuing 70 days. The number of AR-immunoreactive (AR-ir) cells was regulated by testosterone in medial amygdala and caudal arcuate, and by photoperiod in the medial preoptic nucleus and the posterodorsal medial amygdala. A significant interaction between photoperiod and androgen treatment was found in medial preoptic nucleus and posterodorsal medial amygdala. The molecular weight and distribution of SRC-1 were similar to reports in other rodent species, and short days reduced the number of SRC-1-ir cells in posteromedial bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and posterodorsal medial amygdala. A significant interaction between androgen treatment and daylength in regulation of SRC-1-ir was found in anterior medial amygdala. The present results indicate that daylength-induced fluctuations in SRC-1 and AR expression may contribute to seasonally changing effects of testosterone.     

Endogenous IGF-1 regulates the neuronal differentiation of adult stem cells

Stem cells from the adult forebrain of mice were stimulated to form clones in vitro using fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). At concentrations above 10 ng/ml of FGF-2, very few clones gave rise to neurons; however, if FGF-2 was removed after 5 days, 20-30% of clones subsequently gave rise to neurons. The number of neuron-containing clones and the number of neurons per clone was significantly enhanced, if insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 or heparin were added subsequent to FGF-2 removal. The spontaneous production of neurons after FGF-2 removal was shown to be due to endogenous IGF-1, since antibodies to IGF-1 and an IGF-1 binding protein totally inhibited neuronal production. Similarly, these reagents also abrogated the neuron-promoting effects of heparin. Thus, it appears that endogenous IGF-1 may be a major regulator of stem cell differentiation into neurons. Furthermore, it was found that high levels of IGF-1 or insulin promoted the maturation and affected the neurotransmitter phenotype of the neurons generated.     

Staurosporine is a potent activator of neuronal,glial, and "CNS stem cell-like" neurosphere differentiation in murine embryonic stem cells

Staurosporine (STS), a broad spectrum protein kinase inhibitor, was previously shown to induce neurite outgrowth in several neuroblastoma cell lines. However, data on the neurotrophic potential of this alkaloid in embryonic stem cell systems were not available. Therefore, three mouse ES cell lines, IB10, RW4, and Bruce 4, were induced to enter neurogenesis in culture at low concentrations of STS. These cells differentiated into epidermal growth factor-responsive neural precursor cells, formed neurospheres, and further developed to neurons and astrocytes. The clonally derived neurospheres consisted of multipotent cells which exhibited some of the classical characteristics of early CNS stem cells and could be propagated in vitro. STS was antagonistic in several ways to retinoic acid (RA), a vitamin A metabolite, which promotes neuritogenesis. Results from RT-PCR experiments and inhibition studies with RA provided evidence that staurosporine exerted its neurotrophic effects through the induction of very late levels of the nerve growth factor and protein kinase C neurogenesis pathways.     

Fluoxetine promotes gliogenesis during neural differentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed for treatment of mood disorders and depression, even during pregnancy and lactation. SSRIs are thought to be much safer than tricyclic antidepressants, with a low risk of embryonic toxicity. Several recent studies, however, have reported that fetal exposure to SSRIs increases the risk of adverse effects during fetal and neonatal development. This is consistent with our previous finding that fluoxetine, a prototypical SSRI, profoundly affected the viability of cultured embryonic stem (ES) cells as well as their ability to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, we found that fluoxetine induced fluctuations in ectodermal marker gene expression during ES cell differentiation, which suggests that fluoxetine may affect neural development. In the present study, we investigated the effects of fluoxetine on the process of differentiation from ES cells into neural cells using the stromal cell‐derived inducing activity (SDIA) method. Fluoxetine treatment was found to enhance the expression of glial marker genes following neural differentiation, as observed by immunocytochemical analysis or quantitative RT‐PCR. The promoter activity of glial marker genes was also significantly enhanced when cells were treated with fluoxetine, as observed by luciferase reporter assay. The expression of neuronal markers during ES cell differentiation into neural cells, on the other hand, was inhibited by fluoxetine treatment. In addition, FACS analysis revealed an increased population of glial cells in the differentiating ES cells treated with fluoxetine. These results suggest that fluoxetine could facilitate the differentiation of mouse ES cells into glial cell lineage, which may affect fetal neural development. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Expression of steroid receptor coactivator-1 was regulated by postnatal development but not ovariectomy in the hippocampus of rats

Female steroids such as estrogens and progestins, through their nuclear receptors, play important roles in regulation of the structure and function of the hippocampus. Steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) has been detected in embryonic and/or adult hippocampus of rodents, and SRC-1 null mice showed significantly longer escape latency in the Morris maze test, indicating a role of this coactivator in the regulation of hippocampus function. Whether this is regulated by development and circulating ovary hormones remains unclear. In this study, postnatal development and ovariectomy for regulation of hippocampal SRC-1 in female rats were investigated by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. The results showed that SRC-1-immunopositive materials were predominantly detected in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer and dentate gyrus granular cell layer. Very low levels of SRC-1 were detected at postnatal day 0, but they increased with development. The highest levels of SRC-1 were detected at postnatal day 14, then they decreased to adult levels from postnatal day 30; significantly lower levels of SRC-1 were detected in the middle-aged (18-month-old) hippocampus when compared with that of the adult. Western blot and immunohistochemistry demonstrated that hippocampal SRC-1 expression was unchanged after ovariectomy, no significant differences were noticed from day 3 to 8 weeks postsurgery when compared with sham animals. The above results showed that hippocampal SRC-1 is regulated by postnatal development but not ovariectomy, and that the exact role of SRC-1 in the estradiol regulation of hippocampus needs further investigation.     

Induced neuronal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells

Human embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent cells capable of forming differentiated embryoid bodies (EBs) in culture. We examined the ability of growth factors under controlled conditions to increase the number of human ES cell-derived neurons. Retinoic acid (RA) and nerve growth factor (betaNGF) were found to be potent enhancers of neuronal differentiation, eliciting extensive outgrowth of processes and the expression of neuron-specific molecules. Our findings show that human ES cells have great potential to become an unlimited cell source for neurons in culture. These cells may then be used in transplantation therapies for neural pathologies.     

Hepatocyte growth factor promotes proliferation and neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells from mouse embryos

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), originally cloned as a hepatocyte mitogen, has recently been reported to exhibit neurotrophic activity in addition to being expressed in different parts of the nervous system. At present, the effects of HGF on neural stem cells (NSCs) are not known. In this study, we first report the promoting effect of HGF on the proliferation of neurospheres and neuronal differentiation of NSCs. Medium containing only HGF was capable of inducing neurosphere formation. Addition of HGF to medium containing fibroblast growth factor 2 or epidermal growth factor increased both the size and number of newly formed neurospheres. More neurons were also obtained when HGF was added in differentiation medium. In contrast, neurosphere numbers were reduced after repeated subculture by mechanical dissociation, suggesting that HGF-formed neurospheres comprised predominantly progenitor cells committed to neuronal or glial lines. Together, these results suggest that HGF promotes proliferation of neurospheres and neuronal differentiation of NSCs derived from mouse embyos.