title: Expression of neural markers in human umbilical cord blood.
abstract: A population of cells derived from human and rodent bone marrow has been shown by several groups of investigators to give rise to glia and neuron-like cells. Here we show that human umbilical cord blood cells treated with retinoic acid (RA) and nerve growth factor (NGF) exhibited a change in phenotype and expressed molecular markers usually associated with neurons and glia. Musashi-1 and beta-tubulin III, proteins found in early neuronal development, were expressed in the induced cord blood cells. Other molecules associated with neurons in the literature, such as glypican 4 and pleiotrophin mRNA, were detected using DNA microarray analysis and confirmed independently with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and its mRNA were also detected in both the induced and untreated cord blood cells. Umbilical cord blood appears to be more versatile than previously known and may have therapeutic potential for neuronal replacement or gene delivery in neurodegenerative diseases, trauma, and genetic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurology, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Ramos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kamath
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zigova
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Willing
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardozo-Pelaez
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stedeford
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chopp
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Sanberg
mesh_terms: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D053673:Glypicans; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014404:Tubulin / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; C492044:GPC4 protein, human; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D053673:Glypicans; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; C491297:MSI1 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014404:Tubulin; C066845:pleiotrophin; D014212:Tretinoin; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor