title: Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates neuronal differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.
abstract: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been demonstrated to be able to differentiate into neuron-like cells, but the precise mechanisms controlling this process are unclear. Using neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and nestin as neuronal markers, we examined the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in MSC neuronal differentiation in present study. The results indicated that the expression of β-catenin increased markedly during the neuronal differentiation of MSCs. Blocking Wnt signaling by treating MSCs with β-catenin siRNA could decrease the differentiation of MSCs into neuron-like cells and up-regulation of Wnt signaling by treating MSCs with Wnt-3a could promote neuronal differentiation of MSCs. Above results suggest that Wnt/β-catenin signaling may play a pivotal role in neuronal differentiation of MSCs. Our data broaden the knowledge of molecular mechanisms involved in the neuronal differentiation of MSCs and provide a potential target for directing differentiation of MSCs for clinical application.
authors: Institute of Bioengineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China. Electronic address: qinyu3587@aliyun.com.
authors: Qin
authors: Q
authors: Yu
authors: Lizhen
authors: L
authors: Liu
authors: Yanping
authors: Y
authors: Duan
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Xiaobo
authors: X
authors: Xuan
authors: Liping
authors: L
authors: Zhou
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008297:Male; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin
keywords: Mesenchymal stem cells; Neuronal differentiation; Wnt-3a; Wnt/β-catenin signaling