Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) inhibits adhesion and migration of neural progenitor cells in vitro.
Food supplements based on herbal products are widely used during pregnancy as part of a self-care approach. The idea that such supplements are safe and healthy is deeply seated in the general population, although they do not underlie the same strict safety regulations than medical drugs. We aimed to characterize the neurodevelopmental effects of the green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is now commercialized as high-dose food supplement. We used the "Neurosphere Assay" to study the effects and unravel underlying molecular mechanisms of EGCG treatment on human and rat neural progenitor cells (NPCs) development in vitro. EGCG alters human and rat NPC development in vitro. It disturbs migration distance, migration pattern, and nuclear density of NPCs growing as neurospheres. These functional impairments are initiated by EGCG binding to the extracellular matrix glycoprotein laminin, preventing its binding to β1-integrin subunits, thereby prohibiting cell adhesion and resulting in altered glia alignment and decreased number of migrating young neurons. Our data raise a concern on the intake of high-dose EGCG food supplements during pregnancy and highlight the need of an in vivo characterization of the effects of high-dose EGCG exposure during neurodevelopment.
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Marta
M
Barenys
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Kathrin
K
Gassmann
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Christine
C
Baksmeier
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Sabrina
S
Heinz
Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health/NEUROLAB, Department of Psychology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Sescelades, 43007, Tarragona, Spain.
Ingrid
I
Reverte
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Martin
M
Schmuck
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Thomas
T
Temme
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Farina
F
Bendt
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Tim-Christian
TC
Zschauer
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Thomas Dino
TD
Rockel
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Klaus
K
Unfried
Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany.
Wim
W
Wätjen
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Sivaraj Mohana
SM
Sundaram
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Heike
H
Heuer
Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health/NEUROLAB, Department of Psychology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Campus Sescelades, 43007, Tarragona, Spain.
Maria Teresa
MT
Colomina
IUF - Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. Ellen.Fritsche@uni-duesseldorf.de.
Ellen
E
Fritsche
D000818:Animals; D002392:Catechin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019012:Integrin beta1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007797:Laminin / Q000378:metabolism; D064231:Nestin / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D019012:Integrin beta1; D007797:Laminin; C577484:NES protein, human; D064231:Nestin; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate
Adhesion; DNT; Extracellular matrix; Food supplements; Migration; Neurospheres