title: pCREB is involved in neural induction of mouse embryonic stem cells by RA.
abstract: Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can be induced by various chemicals to differentiate into a variety of cell types in vitro. In our study, retinoic acid (RA), one of the most important inducers, used at a concentration of 5 microM, was found to induce the differentiation of ES cells into neural progenitor cells (NPCs). During embryoid body (EB) differentiation, the level of active cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) was relatively high when 5 microM RA treatment was performed. Inhibition of CREB activity committed EBs to becoming other germ layers, whereas increased expression of CREB enhanced NPC differentiation. Moreover, RA increased the expression of active CREB by enhancing the activity of JNK. Our research suggests that CREB plays a role in RA-induced NPC differentiation by increasing the expression of active JNK.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Jing-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Qiu-Ming
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tie-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Hui-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Lian-Hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D014212:Tretinoin; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases