title: Effect ofLycium bararumpolysaccharides on methylmercury-induced abnormal differentiation of hippocampal stem cells.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to observe the effects of a general extract ofLycium bararumpolysaccharides (LBPs) on methylmercury (MeHg)-induced damage in hippocampus neural stem cells (hNSCs). The hippocampal tissues of embryonic day 16 Sprague-Dawley rats were extracted for the isolation, purification and cloning of hNSCs. Following passage and proliferation for 10 days, the cells were allocated at random into the following groups: Control, LBPs, MeHg and MeHg + LBPs. MTT and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2)/glial fibrillary acidic protein/Hoechst immunofluorescence tests were performed to detect the differentiation and growth of hNSCs in the various groups. The differentiation rate of MeHg-treated hNSCs and the perimeter of MAP-2-positive neurons were 3.632±0.63% and 62.36±5.58 µm, respectively, significantly lower compared with the control group values of 6.500±0.81% and 166±8.16 µm (P<0.05). Furthermore, the differentiation rate and the perimeter of MAP-2-positive neurons in LBPs groups cells was 7.75±0.59% and 253.3±11.21 µm, respectively, significantly higher compared with the control group (P<0.05). The same parameters in the MeHg + LBPs group were 5.92±0.98% and 111.9±6.07 µm, respectively, significantly higher than the MeHg group (P<0.05). The astrocyte differentiation rates in the MeHg and MeHg + LBPs group were 41.19±2.14 and 34.58±1.70, respectively (P<0.05). These results suggest that LBPs may promote the generation and development of new neurons and inhibit the MeHg-induced abnormal differentiation of astrocytes. Thus, LBPs may be considered to be a potential new treatment for MeHg-induced neurotoxicity in hNSCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Labor Health and Environment, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, P.R. China; Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical School, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jian-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Labor Health and Environment, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei-Wei
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Labor Health and Environment, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Labor Health and Environment, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Labor Health and Environment, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ci
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Labor Health and Environment, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, Labor Health and Environment, School of Public Health, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yong-Yi
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Bi
keywords: Lycium bararum polysaccharides; hippocampus; methylmercury chloride; neural stem cells