[Brain-derived neurotrophic factor induces rat bone marrow stromal cells to differentiate into neuron-like cells in vitro].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-induced differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) into neuron-like cells in vitro and observe its neuroprotective effect of BNDF on the differentiated cells, which might provide the better seed cells for treatment of nervous system diseases.

METHODS

The fifth-passage MSCs were induced by BDNF and 2-mercapto ethanol beta-ME respectively, 1, 3 and 6 h after which the induced neuron-like cells were counted and compared. At 3 h, the neuron-like cells were identified by the immunocytochemical staining, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting.

RESULTS

The two induced cells both displayed neuronal morphologies with long and multipolar cell projections, but BDNF-induced cells survived for a longer time than beta-ME-induced ones. The results of immunocytochemical staining showed that the two neuron-like cells expressed nestin, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), neurofilament (NF), microtubule-associated protein (MAP-2), but not glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). RT-PCR detected mRNA-positive NSE, NF and MAP-2 in the induced cells, with also mild positive GFAP mRNA. Western blotting identified also NSE expression in these neuron-like cells.

CONCLUSION

BDNF alone may induce rat MSCs to differentiate into neuron-like cells in vitro, which have longer lifetime to better serve the purpose of transplantation and gene therapy for nervous system diseases.