title: [Effect of propofol on proliferation and differentiation of rat embryonic neural stem cells in vitro].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of propofol on the proliferation and differentiation of rat embryonic neural stem cells in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Embryonic neural stem cells of fetal Wistar rats (gestational age of 14-16 days) in primary culture, after identification for nestin expression, were divided into control group, introlipid group, and propofol groups (treated with propofol at the doses of 5, 25, 50, and 100 µmol/L). The changes in the proliferation of the embryonic neural stem cells after the treatments were observed using Brdu incorporation assay. In the course of induced differentiation of the embryonic neural stem cells, 50 µmol/L propofol was added in the cells to assess its impact on the differentiation of the cells by immunohistochemical detection of NeuN and GFAP expressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 95% of the embryonic neural stem cells in primary culture were Nestin-positive. The percentages of Brdu-positive cells showed no significant changes after treatment with different concentrations of propofol, whereas the addition of 50 µmol/L propofol resulted in a significant increase of NeuN-positive cell percentage to (23.1∓0.9)% as compared with that of (13.4∓0.8)% in the control group (P<0.05) without affecting the GFAP-positive cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinically relevant doses of propofol have no obvious effect on the proliferation of rat neural stem cells cultured in vitro, but can induce their differentiation into neuron-like cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. creasevase@126.com
authors.forename: Hua-ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Jin-fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Miao-ning
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015742:Propofol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D015742:Propofol