Retinoic acid directs neuronal differentiation of human pluripotent stem cell lines in a non-cell-autonomous manner

Differentiation of human embryonic stem (ES) cells and embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells provides an in vitro model to study the process of neuronal differentiation. Retinoic acid (RA) is frequently used to promote neural differentiation of pluripotent cells under a wide variety of culture conditions. Through systematic comparison of differentiation conditions we demonstrate that RA induced neuronal differentiation of human ES and EC cells requires prolonged RA exposure and intercellular communication mediated by high cell density. These parameters are necessary for the up-regulation of neural gene expression (SOX2, PAX6 and NeuroD1) and the eventual appearance of neurons. Forced over-expression of neither SOX2 nor NEUROD1 was sufficient to overcome the density dependency of neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, inhibition of GSK3β activity blocked the ability of RA to direct cell differentiation along the neural lineage, suggesting a role for appropriately regulated WNT signalling. These data indicate that RA mediated neuronal differentiation of human EC and ES cell lines is not a cell autonomous program but comprises of a multi-staged program that requires intercellular input.     

Co-transplantation of bFGF-expressing amniotic epithelial cells and neural stem cells promotes functional recovery in spinal cord-injured rats

We have previously demonstrated that amniotic epithelial cells (AECs) can enhance survival and neural differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) when co-cultured in basal media. In addition, the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) enhances this AEC function. The aim of the present study was to extend those findings and investigate whether AECs modified with the bFGF gene will also enhance NSCs survival and neural differentiation in vivo and promote repair of the injured spinal cord. Female Wistar rats were used for a contusive spinal cord injury (SCI) model. Contusive SCIs were induced using a weight-drop device at levels T9-T11. Seven days following contusion, rats received grafts of NSCs only, NSCs with AECs/pLEGFP-hbFGF, or NSCs with AECs/pLEGFP-C1 into the injured region. Significant locomotor improvement was observed in the NSCs/AECs co-graft group beginning at 3 weeks compared with the NSCs or NaCl only groups. These results were confirmed and extended in an electrophysiological analysis. An immunohistological analysis revealed that AECs/pLEGFP-hbFGF promoted the survival (vs NaCl group: 194+/-9.17 vs 103.6+/-13.05) and neural differentiation (vs NaCl group: 14.24+/-1.11 vs 7+/-0.63) of co-transplanted NSCs. We also confirmed that AECs could promote the survival of host neurons. These results suggest that AECs/pLEGFP-hbFGF improve the NSCs survival and differentiation microenvironment and may be useful as a source of sustained trophic supported to improve NSCs differentiation into neurons in vivo. These findings suggest that a cograft of AECs/pLEGFP-hbFGF and NSCs may have benefits for SCI.     

猕猴神经干细胞的诱导分化、干性维持及同种脑内移植

为探索猕猴神经干细胞分化及特性维持,推进神经干细胞临床应用研究,该实验以绿色荧光蛋白(green fluorescence protein,GFP)为标记探讨猕猴胚胎干细胞向玫瑰花环(rosettes)结构神经干细胞的分化及其碱性成纤维细胞生长因子(basic fibroblast growth factor,bFGF)和表皮生长因子(epidermal growth factor,EGF)的扩增培养。结果表明:1)建立了稳定高效的猕猴神经干细胞分化体系,在该分化体系下,GFP标记猕猴胚胎干细胞在分化的第12天时,95%以上的细胞分化为神经干细胞;2)分化得到的Rosettes结构神经干细胞经bFGF/EGF扩增后,能够较好地维持其Rosettes结构;3)经bFGF/EGF扩增后的rosettes结构神经干细胞移植到猕猴脑内后能够较好的存活并向神经元分化,即bFGF/EGF扩增培养能较好地维持Rosettes结构的神经干细胞,且移植到猕猴脑内的该细胞亦能够较好地存活并向神经元分化,该结果为神经干细胞应用于临床提供了基础理论依据。     

Differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to regional specific neural precursors in chemically defined medium conditions

Background

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) provide a unique model to study early events in human development. The hESC-derived cells can potentially be used to replace or restore different tissues including neuronal that have been damaged by disease or injury.

Methodology and Principal Findings

The cells of two different hESC lines were converted to neural rosettes using adherent and chemically defined conditions. The progenitor cells were exposed to retinoic acid (RA) or to human recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the late phase of the rosette formation. Exposing the progenitor cells to RA suppressed differentiation to rostral forebrain dopamine neural lineage and promoted that of spinal neural tissue including motor neurons. The functional characteristics of these differentiated neuronal precursors under both, rostral (bFGF) and caudalizing (RA) signals were confirmed by patch clamp analysis.

Conclusions/Significance

These findings suggest that our differentiation protocol has the capacity to generate region-specific and electrophysiologically active neurons under in vitro conditions without embryoid body formation, co-culture with stromal cells and without presence of cells of mesodermal or endodermal lineages.     

Safrole oxide is a useful tool for investigating the effect of apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells on neural stem cell survival and differentiation in vitro

Previously, we found safrole oxide could promote VEC apoptosis, however, it is not known whether it can induce NSC apoptosis. It is reported that neural stem cells (NSCs) are localized in a vascular niche. But the effects of apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells (VEC) on NSC growth and differentiation are not clear. To answer these questions, in this study, we co-cultured NSCs with VECs in order to imitate the situation in vivo, in which NSCs are associated with the endothelium, and treated the single-cultured NSCs and the co-cultured NSCs with safrole oxide. The results showed that safrole oxide (10-100 microg/mL) had no effects on NSC growth. Based on these results, we treated the co-culture system with this small molecule. The results showed that the NSCs differentiation, into neurons and gliacytes was induced by VECs untreated with safrole oxide. But in the co-culture system treated with safrole oxide, the NSCs underwent apoptosis. The data suggested that when VEC apoptosis occurred in the co-culture system, the NSC survival and differentiation could not be maintained, and NSCs died by apoptosis. Our finding provided a useful tool for investigating the effect of apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells on neural stem cell survival and differentiation in vitro.     

Signaling pathways of the early differentiation of neural stem cells by neurotrophin-3

Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) is well known to play an important role in facilitating neuronal survival and differentiation during development. However, the mechanisms by which neurotrophin-3 promotes prolonged Akt/MAPK signaling at an early stage are not well understood. Here, we report that NT-3 works at an early stage of neuronal differentiation in mouse neural stem cells (NSCs). After treatment with NT-3 for 12h, more NSCs differentiated into neurons than did untreated cells. These findings demonstrated that stimulation with NT-3 causes NSCs to differentiate into neurons through a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway and the phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. In addition, treatment with NT-3 induced neurite outgrowth by specific phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, which was accompanied by neuronal differentiation. Taken together, these results suggest that NT-3, along with the Trk C receptors in NSCs, might lead to the survival and neuronal differentiation of NSCs via two distinct downstream signaling pathways at an early stage of neuronal differentiation.     

兔胚胎神经干细胞的分离、培养和鉴别

目的：研究兔胎脑神经干细胞体外生长特性,为探讨神经干细胞的临床应用及神经系统的发育奠定基础。方法：采用含碱性成纤维细胞生长因子（bFGF）和表皮细胞生长因子（EGF）的N2无血清培养技术,取18天龄兔胚胎脑组织,分离神经干细胞,并观察分离的细胞体外培养、增殖、分化潜能,免疫组化鉴定。结果：从18天龄兔胎脑皮质和纹状体中成功分离出具有自我更新和多分化潜能的神经干细胞,在无血清培养时细胞呈半贴壁状态生长,形成神经球,可传代。细胞呈Nestin免疫反应阳性;在含血清培养基中培养时则分化,分化后的细胞表达神经元细胞、星形胶质细胞和少突胶质细胞的特异性抗原。结论：来自兔胎脑神经干细胞能在体外培养、增殖并保持传代能力。无血清N2EGF、bFGF培养基有利于兔胎脑神经干细胞的存活和增殖,含血清培养基能诱导兔胎脑神经干细胞分化。     

Long-term self-renewal of naïve neural stem cells in a defined condition

During embryonic development, neural stem cells (NSCs) emerge as early as the neural plate stage and give rise to the nervous system. Early-stage NSCs express Sry-related-HMG box-1 (Sox1) and are biased towards neuronal differentiation. However, long-term maintenance of early-stage NSCs in vitro remains a challenge. Here, we report development of a defined culture condition for the long-term maintenance of Sox1-positive early-stage mouse NSCs. The proliferative ability of these Sox1-positive NSCs was confirmed by clonal propagation. Compared to the NSCs cultured using the traditional culture condition, the long-term self-renewing Sox1-positive NSCs efficiently differentiate into neurons and exhibit an identity representative of the anterior and midbrain regions. These early-stage Sox1-positive NSCs could also be switched to late-stage NSCs by being cultured with bFGF/EGF, which can then differentiate into astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The long-term self-renewing Sox1-positive NSCs were defined as naïve NSCs, based on their high neuronal differentiation capacity and anterior regional identity. This culture condition provides a robust platform for further dissection of the NSC self-renewal mechanism and promotes potential applications of NSCs for cell-based therapy on nervous system disorders.     

Embryonic stem cells as a model for studying regulation of cellular differentiation

Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be differentiated in vitro into near homogeneous populations of both neurons and skeletal muscle as well as other cell types. We previously showed that treatment of pluripotent ES cells with retinoic acid (RA) induced differentiation into highly enriched populations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) expressing neurons. The reasons for generation of only GABA neurons as opposed to other neuronal cell types were not known. We have extended our previous work and now show that with RA induction of ES cells we not only obtain GABA neurons, but also dopaminergic neurons. Critical for the production of dopaminergic neurons after RA induction was the post-induction plating conditions used. No dopaminergic neurons were detected if cells were plated in serum-free media optimized for neuronal survival. However, significant numbers of dopamine neurons could be detected when cells were plated in media containing fetal calf serum. These observations support the conclusion that RA acts as a general neural inducing agent and that conditions post-induction either selectively support survival of a particular class of neuronal cells or that the conditions post-induction actually further instruct cells to differentiate into different types of neurons.     

Synaptically-competent neurons derived from canine embryonic stem cells by lineage selection with EGF and Noggin

Pluripotent stem cell lines have been generated in several domestic animal species; however, these lines traditionally show poor self-renewal and differentiation. Using canine embryonic stem cell (cESC) lines previously shown to have sufficient self-renewal capacity and potency, we generated and compared canine neural stem cell (cNSC) lines derived by lineage selection with epidermal growth factor (EGF) or Noggin along the neural default differentiation pathway, or by directed differentiation with retinoic acid (RA)-induced floating sphere assay. Lineage selection produced large populations of SOX2+ neural stem/progenitor cell populations and neuronal derivatives while directed differentiation produced few and improper neuronal derivatives. Primary canine neural lines were generated from fetal tissue and used as a positive control for differentiation and electrophysiology. Differentiation of EGF- and Noggin-directed cNSC lines in N2B27 with low-dose growth factors (BDNF/NT-3 or PDGFαα) produced phenotypes equivalent to primary canine neural cells including 3CB2+ radial progenitors, MOSP+ glia restricted precursors, VIM+/GFAP+ astrocytes, and TUBB3+/MAP2+/NFH+/SYN+ neurons. Conversely, induction with RA and neuronal differentiation produced inadequate putative neurons for further study, even though appropriate neuronal gene expression profiles were observed by RT-PCR (including Nestin, TUBB3, PSD95, STX1A, SYNPR, MAP2). Co-culture of cESC-derived neurons with primary canine fetal cells on canine astrocytes was used to test functional maturity of putative neurons. Canine ESC-derived neurons received functional GABA(A)- and AMPA-receptor mediated synaptic input, but only when co-cultured with primary neurons. This study presents established neural stem/progenitor cell populations and functional neural derivatives in the dog, providing the proof-of-concept required to translate stem cell transplantation strategies into a clinically relevant animal model.     

RCMV感染星形胶质细胞对神经干细胞分化的影响

探讨大鼠巨细胞病毒（rat cytomegalovirus,RCMV）感染大鼠星形胶质细胞后,对神经干细胞分化的影响。原代分离培养新生大鼠星形胶质细胞和胚胎海马神经干细胞,将星形胶质细胞感染RCMV后和神经干细胞在Transwell24孔共培养体系下进行共培养,同时设对照组;用免疫荧光染色等方法检测神经干细胞与感染RCMV的星形胶质细胞共培养后,其分化细胞中神经元微管相关蛋白（microtubule-associated protein 2,MAP2）和星形胶质细胞胶质纤维酸性蛋白（glial fibril—lary acidic protein,GFAP）的表达。结果发现,感染RCMV的星形胶质细胞与神经干细胞共培养时,神经干细胞分化减慢,分化成的神经元和星形胶质细胞比率低于对照组,提示星形胶质细胞感染RCMV后可抑制神经干细胞的分化,可能与RCMV影响星形胶质细胞合成和分泌各种营养因子,干扰了神经干细胞的分化进程有关。     

The CDK inhibitor p27 enhances neural differentiation in pluripotent NTERA2 human EC cells, but does not permit differentiation of 2102Ep nullipotent human EC cells

Embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells, the stem cells of teratocarcinomas, are the malignant counterparts of pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells, but commonly exhibit a reduced ability to differentiate, presumably because of continual selection for genetic changes that alter the balance between self-renewal, differentiation and apoptosis in favour of self-renewal. To explore the nature of the genetic changes that promote nullipotency, we have compared two human EC cell lines, a 'nullipotent' line, 2102Ep, and a 'pluripotent' line, NTERA2. A hybrid derived by fusion of these cells differentiates in response to retinoic acid but, unlike the parental NTERA2 line, does not form terminally differentiated neurons. This implies that the nullipotent EC cell line, 2102Ep, differs in expression of at least two functions in comparison with the NTERA2 pluripotent line, one affecting commitment to differentiation, and one affecting terminal neural differentiation. We have now investigated the possible role of the CDK inhibitor, p27kip1 (p27) in commitment and terminal differentiation. In NTERA2, but not in 2102Ep cells, retinoic acid induces up-regulation of p27 expression, suggesting that 2102Ep cells lack this capacity. However, constitutive expression of a p27 transgene does not overcome the block to differentiation in the 2102Ep parental cells; commitment to differentiation must be blocked elsewhere. On the other hand, constitutive over-expression of p27 from a transgene enhances the neural differentiation of NTERA2 cells. Our results suggest that p27 plays a role in terminal neuronal differentiation of human EC cells, but not in their initial commitment to differentiation, and that other factors, possibly Cyclin D2, specifically limit its ability to promote neural differentiation.     

Promotion of Survival and Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells with Fibrin and Growth Factor Cocktails after Severe Spinal Cord Injury

Neural stem cells (NSCs) can self-renew and differentiate into neurons and glia. Transplanted NSCs can replace lost neurons and glia after spinal cord injury (SCI), and can form functional relays to re-connect spinal cord segments above and below a lesion. Previous studies grafting neural stem cells have been limited by incomplete graft survival within the spinal cord lesion cavity. Further, tracking of graft cell survival, differentiation, and process extension had not been optimized. Finally, in previous studies, cultured rat NSCs were typically reported to differentiate into glia when grafted to the injured spinal cord, rather than neurons, unless fate was driven to a specific cell type. To address these issues, we developed new methods to improve the survival, integration and differentiation of NSCs to sites of even severe SCI. NSCs were freshly isolated from embryonic day 14 spinal cord (E14) from a stable transgenic Fischer 344 rat line expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) and were embedded into a fibrin matrix containing growth factors; this formulation aimed to retain grafted cells in the lesion cavity and support cell survival. NSCs in the fibrin/growth factor cocktail were implanted two weeks after thoracic level-3 (T3) complete spinal cord transections, thereby avoiding peak periods of inflammation. Resulting grafts completely filled the lesion cavity and differentiated into both neurons, which extended axons into the host spinal cord over remarkably long distances, and glia. Grafts of cultured human NSCs expressing GFP resulted in similar findings. Thus, methods are defined for improving neural stem cell grafting, survival and analysis of in vivo findings.     

Arctigenin protects against neuronal hearing loss by promoting neural stem cell survival and differentiation

Neuronal hearing loss has become a prevalent health problem. This study focused on the function of arctigenin (ARC) in promoting survival and neuronal differentiation of mouse cochlear neural stem cells (NSCs), and its protection against gentamicin (GMC) induced neuronal hearing loss. Mouse cochlea was used to isolate NSCs, which were subsequently cultured in vitro. The effects of ARC on NSC survival, neurosphere formation, differentiation of NSCs, neurite outgrowth, and neural excitability in neuronal network in vitro were examined. Mechanotransduction ability demonstrated by intact cochlea, auditory brainstem response (ABR), and distortion product optoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) amplitude in mice were measured to evaluate effects of ARC on GMC‐induced neuronal hearing loss. ARC increased survival, neurosphere formation, neuron differentiation of NSCs in mouse cochlear in vitro. ARC also promoted the outgrowth of neurites, as well as neural excitability of the NSC‐differentiated neuron culture. Additionally, ARC rescued mechanotransduction capacity, restored the threshold shifts of ABR and DPOAE in our GMC ototoxicity murine model. This study supports the potential therapeutic role of ARC in promoting both NSCs proliferation and differentiation in vitro to functional neurons, thus supporting its protective function in the therapeutic treatment of neuropathic hearing loss in vivo.     

Effects of Oxygen Concentration on the Proliferation and Differentiation of Mouse Neural Stem Cells In Vitro

Background and purpose Cerebral ischemia is known to elicit the activation of neural stem cells (NSCs); however its mechanism is not fully determined. Although oxygen concentration is known to mediate many ischemic actions, there has been little attention given to the role of pathological oxygen changes under cerebral ischemia on the activation of NSCs. We investigated the effects of various oxygen concentrations on mouse neural stem cells in vitro. Methods NSCs were cultured from the ganglionic eminence of fetal ICR mice on embryonic day 15.5 using a neurosphere method. The effects of oxygen concentrations on proliferation, differentiation, and cell death of NSCs were evaluated by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, immunocytochemistry, and TUNEL assay, respectively. Results The highest proliferation and the neuronal differentiation of the NSCs were observed in 2% oxygen, which yielded significantly higher proportions of both BrdU-labeled cells and Tuj1-positive cells when compared with 20% and 4% oxygen. On the other hand, the differentiation to the astrocytes was not affected by oxygen concentrations, except in the case of anoxia (0% oxygen). The cell death of the NSCs increased in lower oxygen conditions and peaked at anoxia. Furthermore, the switching of the neuronal subtype differentiation from GABA-positive to glutamate-positive neurons was observed in lower oxygen conditions. Conclusions These findings raise the possibility that reduced oxygen levels occurring with cerebral ischemia enhance NSC proliferation and neural differentiation, and that mild hypoxia (2% oxygen), which is known to occur in the ischemic penumbra, is suitable for abundant neuronal differentiation.     

溶血磷脂酸促进离体大鼠胚胎神经干细胞的增殖及其向胆碱能神经元分化

溶血磷脂酸（1ysophosphatidic acid,LPA）是一种细胞外磷脂信号。本研究用[^3H]-胸腺嘧啶掺入法、免疫细胞化学和Western blot等技术,观察了LPA对体外培养的大鼠胚胎神经干细胞（neural stem cells,NSCs）的增殖以及向MAF2标记的一般神经元和ChAT标记的胆碱能神经元的分化的影响。结果显示：（1）在特殊的无血清培养基中加入低浓度的LPA（0．01-1．0μmol/L）后,NSCs对【^3H】-胸腺嘧啶的摄入呈剂量依赖性增加,表明LPA对NSCs有显著的促增殖作用;（2）在培养基中加入胎牛血清以诱导NSCs的分化,发现低浓度的LPA增加MAF2阳性和ChAT阳性神经元的比例,0．1μmol／L LPA引起的增加达到峰值;（3）Western blot分析显示LPA促进了MAP2和ChAT的表达;（4）在诱导NSCs出现分化早期,用倒置显微镜观察到低浓度的LPA明显促进细胞突起的生长和细胞的迁移。以上结果表明,低浓度LPA在一定范围内可以促进NSCs的增殖、并分化为一般的MAP2阳性神经元和特殊的胆碱能神经元,而且LPA可以促进在分化早期出现的神经元或神经胶质细胞前体细胞的迁移和突起生长。     

The RNA helicase DDX6 regulates cell-fate specification in neural stem cells via miRNAs

In neural stem cells (NSCs), the balance between stem cell maintenance and neuronal differentiation depends on cell-fate determinants such as TRIM32. Previously, we have shown that TRIM32 associates with the RNA-induced silencing complex and increases the activity of microRNAs such as Let-7a. However, the exact mechanism of microRNA regulation by TRIM32 during neuronal differentiation has yet to be elucidated. Here, we used a mass spectrometry approach to identify novel protein–protein interaction partners of TRIM32 during neuronal differentiation. We found that TRIM32 associates with proteins involved in neurogenesis and RNA-related processes, such as the RNA helicase DDX6, which has been implicated in microRNA regulation. We demonstrate, that DDX6 colocalizes with TRIM32 in NSCs and neurons and that it increases the activity of Let-7a. Furthermore, we provide evidence that DDX6 is necessary and sufficient for neuronal differentiation and that it functions in cooperation with TRIM32.