Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province 710032, People's Republic of China.
Neurosci Lett. 2011 Nov 14;505(2):171-5. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2011.10.014. Epub 2011 Oct 12.
Growing evidence shows that physical microenvironments and mechanical stresses, independent of soluble factors, help influence mesenchymal-stem-cell fate. rMSCs (rat mesenchymal stem cells) present spread, spindle shape when cultured in normal gravity (NG) while in simulated microgravity (SMG) they become unspread, round shape. Here we demonstrate that simulated microgravity can enhance the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into neurons, which might be a new strategy for the treatment of central nervous system diseases. rMSCs were cultured respectively in normal gravity and in a clinostat to simulate microgravity, followed with neuronal differentiated medium. The neuronal cells derived from rMSCs in SMG express higher microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and choline acetyltransferase (CHAT). Furthermore, as rMSCs are subjected to SMG, they excrete more neurotrophins like nerve growth factor (NGF), brain derived neurophic factor (BDNF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). Neuronal cells from SMG group generated more mature action potentials and displayed repetitive action potentials by comparison to cells from NG group. We conclude that simulated microgravity can enhance the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into neurons.
越来越多的证据表明，物理微环境和机械应力，独立于可溶性因子，有助于影响间充质干细胞的命运。当在正常重力（NG）下培养时，rMSCs（大鼠间充质干细胞）呈现展开的、纺锤形，而在模拟微重力（SMG）下，它们变成未展开的、圆形。在这里，我们证明模拟微重力可以增强间充质干细胞向神经元的分化，这可能是治疗中枢神经系统疾病的一种新策略。rMSCs 分别在正常重力和转台上进行培养以模拟微重力，然后加入神经元分化培养基。来自 SMG 中的 rMSCs 分化而来的神经元表达更高水平的微管相关蛋白-2（MAP-2）、酪氨酸羟化酶（TH）和胆碱乙酰转移酶（CHAT）。此外，当 rMSCs 受到 SMG 作用时，它们会分泌更多的神经营养因子，如神经生长因子（NGF）、脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）和睫状神经营养因子（CNTF）。与来自 NG 组的细胞相比，来自 SMG 组的神经元细胞产生更多成熟的动作电位，并显示出重复的动作电位。我们的结论是，模拟微重力可以增强间充质干细胞向神经元的分化。
