title: Nogo-66 promotes the differentiation of neural progenitors into astroglial lineage cells through mTOR-STAT3 pathway.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neural stem/progenitor cells (NPCs) can differentiate into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. NPCs are considered valuable for the cell therapy of injuries in the central nervous system (CNS). However, when NPCs are transplanted into the adult mammalian spinal cord, they mostly differentiate into glial lineage. The same results have been observed for endogenous NPCs during spinal cord injury. However, little is known about the mechanism of such fate decision of NPCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study, we have found that myelin protein and Nogo-66 promoted the differentiation of NPCs into glial lineage. NgR and mTOR-Stat3 pathway were involved in this process. Releasing NgR from cell membranes or blocking mTOR-STAT3 could rescue the enhanced glial differentiation by Nogo-66.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results revealed a novel function of Nogo-66 in the fate decision of NPCs. This discovery could have profound impact on the understanding of CNS development and could improve the therapy of CNS injuries.
authors: Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Bin
authors: B
authors: Wang
authors: Zhifeng
authors: Z
authors: Xiao
authors: Bing
authors: B
authors: Chen
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Han
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Gao
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: Wenxue
authors: W
authors: Zhao
authors: Xia
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: Jianwu
authors: J
authors: Dai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D000070798:Nogo Proteins; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
chemical_list: D009185:Myelin Proteins; D000070798:Nogo Proteins; C000603197:Rtn4 protein, rat; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D011494:Protein Kinases; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases