title: Differentiation of human adult CD34+ stem cells into cells with a neural phenotype: role of astrocytes.
abstract: It has recently been reported that adult hematopoietic stem cells can differentiate into neural cells, opening new frontiers in therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, adult human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) were isolated via magnetic bead sorting, using a specific CD34 antibody and cultured with human astrocyte culture conditioned medium (ACM). In order to evaluate their differentiation into neurons and/or astrocytes, ACM-treated cultures were probed for the expression of several neural markers. We observed morphological modifications and, after 20 days of treatment, cell morphology displayed extending processes. Immunocytochemistry, Western blotting and RT-PCR showed the expression of neuronal markers such as neurofilaments, neuron specific enolase (NSE) and NeuN in ACM-treated HSCs cultured in poly-L-lysine-coated dishes. On the contrary, when the same ACM-treated cells were grown on a plastic substrate, they expressed high levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), with only weak expression of neuronal markers. Nestin, a neural progenitor cell marker, was present in treated cells, regardless of the substrate. These results demonstrate that astrocytes can generate a suitable microenvironment for inducing HSCs to differentiate into neural cells. Therefore, adult bone marrow may represent a readily accessible source of cells for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reali
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scintu
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cabras
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Argiolu
authors.forename: Maria Serafina
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ristaldi
authors.forename: Maria Adele
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sanna
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Badiali
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sogos
mesh_terms: D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D002452:Cell Count; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D048429:Cell Size; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000494:pharmacology; D005333:Fetus; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011107:Polylysine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011107:Polylysine