title: Neuronal differentiation of C17.2 neural stem cells induced by a natural flavonoid, baicalin.
abstract: Natural medicinal materials are a significant resource for the identification of compounds with specific biological properties. In this study, we employed multipotent C17.2 neural stem cells as a model for screening natural compounds that possess neural differentiation-inducing properties. We show here for the first time that, out of the 67 compounds tested, the flavonoid baicalin is a potent differentiation-inducing agent. Baicalin increased the number of cells bearing extended neurites and the expression levels of a number of neuronal markers. Importantly, baicalin promoted the expression of several key neurogenic transcriptional factors. Moreover, we demonstrated that baicalin enhanced the phosphorylation/activation of Erk1/2. Inhibition of Erk1/2 activation by the MEK inhibitor U0126 attenuated the neuronal differentiation-inducing effect of baicalin. Taken together, our findings suggest that baicalin induces neuronal differentiation of C17.2 neural stem cells and that this is mediated by activation of Erk1/2. Our work lays the foundation for exploring baicalin for the promotion of neural regeneration after injury or disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T. Hong Kong, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kam-Sze
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.forename: Sze-Ting
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Pang-Chui
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Kwok-Fai
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002070:Butadienes / Q000494:pharmacology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051379:Mice; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology; D010766:Phosphorylation
chemical_list: D002070:Butadienes; D005419:Flavonoids; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009570:Nitriles; C113580:U 0126; C038044:baicalin; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3