title: Impaired functions of neural stem cells by abnormal nitric oxide-mediated signaling in an in vitro model of Niemann-Pick type C disease.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in the promotion of neurodegeneration. However, little is known about the relationship between NO and the self-renewal or differentiation capacity of neural stem cells (NSCs) in neurodegenerative disease. In this study, we investigated the effect of NO on self-renewal of NSCs in an animal model for Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease. We found that NO production was significantly increased in NSCs from NPC1-deficient mice (NPC1-/-), which showed reduced NSC self-renewal. The number of nestin-positive cells and the size of neurospheres were both significantly decreased. The expression of NO synthase (NOS) was increased in neurospheres derived from the brain of NPC1-/- mice in comparison to wild-type neurospheres. NO-mediated activation of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK3beta) and caspase-3 was also observed in NSCs from NPC1-/- mice. The self-renewal ability of NSCs from NPC1-/- mice was restored by an NOS inhibitor, L-NAME, which resulted in the inhibition of GSK3beta and caspase-3. In addition, the differentiation ability of NSCs was partially restored and the number of Fluoro-Jade C-positive degenerating neurons was reduced. These data suggest that overproduction of NO in NPC disease impaired the self-renewal of NSCs. Control of NO production may be key for the treatment of NPC disease.
authors.affiliation: Adult Stem Cell Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Myung-Sin
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Soo-Kyung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Yong-Soon
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyung-Sun
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006720:Homozygote; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051379:Mice; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000473:pathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D064231:Nestin; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000077296:Niemann-Pick C1 Protein; D009542:Niemann-Pick Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577485:Nes protein, mouse; D064231:Nestin; D000077296:Niemann-Pick C1 Protein; C106831:Npc1 protein, mouse; D011506:Proteins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; C000605507:Gsk3b protein, mouse; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3; D053148:Caspase 3; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester