title: Regulation of neural progenitor cell fate by anandamide.
abstract: Exogenous application of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) has successful implications in treating brain disorders, and research is beginning to identify ways to mimic this exogenous application by activating endogenous stem cell compartments. The recent discovery of a functional endocannabinoid system in murine NPCs (mNPCs) represents one potential therapeutic means to influence endogenous stem cell compartments. High levels of the endogenous cannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) persist during CNS inflammation and infection. The goal of this study was to assess the influence of AEA on mNPCs to identify how the endocannabinoid system influences mNPCs in vitro, a potential model to investigate effects of endocannabinoids on endogenous stem cell compartments. Our results show that AEA affects mNPC cell fate determination. Initial glial differentiation was observed, followed by induction of neuronal differentiation with AEA treatment. Cell survival and apoptosis was not affected by AEA. These effects were coupled by an increased phosphorylation of cAMP-responsive element (CRE) binding protein (CREB).
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soltys
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yushak
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao-Draayer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D051379:Mice; D055495:Neurogenesis; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D063385:Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators; D063388:Endocannabinoids; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; C078814:anandamide