title: Roles of db-cAMP, IBMX and RA in aspects of neural differentiation of cord blood derived mesenchymal-like stem cells.
abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have multilineage differentiation potential which includes cell lineages of the central nervous system; hence MSCs might be useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Although mesenchymal stem cells have been shown to differentiate into the neural lineage, there is still little knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of differentiation particularly towards specialized neurons such as dopaminergic neurons. Here, we show that MSCs derived from human umbilical cord blood (MSC(hUCBs)) are capable of expressing tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and Nurr1, markers typically associated with DA neurons. We also found differential phosphorylation of TH isoforms indicating the presence of post-translational mechanisms possibly activating and modifying TH in MSC(hUCB). Furthermore, functional dissection of components in the differentiation medium revealed that dibutyryl-cAMP (db-cAMP), 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) and retinoic acid (RA) are involved in the regulation of Nurr1 and Neurofilament-L expression as well as in the differential phosphorylation of TH. We also demonstrate a possible inhibitory role of the protein kinase A signaling pathway in the phosphorylation of specific TH isoforms.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Science Institutes, Institute of Medical Biology, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Murni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tio
authors.forename: Kian Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ting Ting
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Udolph
mesh_terms: D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D057126:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; C539882:NR4A2 protein, human; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D057126:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2; C044882:neurofilament protein L; D014212:Tretinoin; D003994:Bucladesine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D017868:Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; D015056:1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine