title: Rapid Induction of Neural Differentiation in Human Umbilical Cord Matrix Mesenchymal Stem Cells by cAMP-elevating Agents.
abstract: Human umbilical cord matrix (hUCM) is considered as a promising source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to several advantages over other tissues. The potential of neural differentiation of hUCM-MSCs is of great interest in the context of treating neurodegenerative diseases. In recent years, considerable efforts have been made to establishin vitroconditions for improving the differentiation of hUCM-MSCs toward neuronal cells. In the present study, we evaluated the neural differentiation potential of hUCM-MSCs in the presence of cAMP-elevating agents forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). hUCM-MSCs were isolated from fetal umbilical cord and characterized by ﬂow cytometry analysis for mesenchymal specific markers. Mesodermal differentiation potential was assessed through selective media with lineage-specific induction factors. For assessment of neural differentiation, cells were cultured in the presence of cAMP-elevating agents for 8 and 24 h. The neuronal differentiated MSCs were characterized for neuronal specific markers by immunocytochemistry and western blotting. Isolated hUCM-MSCs were found positive for mesenchymal markers (CD73, CD90, and CD105) while negative for hematopoietic markers (CD34 and CD45) .Following neural induction, most cells represented neural-like cells morphology. Neural markers including β-tubulin III (Tuj-1), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) and nestin were expressed in treated cells with respect to control group. The astrocyte specific marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was also shown by immunofluorescence in treated cells.(These findings demonstrate that hUCM-MSCs have the ability to rapidly differentiate into neural cell types of neuron-like cells and astrocytes by cAMP-elevating agents without the presence of growth factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Atefeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shahbazi
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.; Department of Hematology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Safa
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alikarami
authors.affiliation: Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kargozar
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Asadi
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Taghi
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Joghataei
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansoureh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soleimani
keywords: Umbilical cord matrix mesenchymal stem cells; cAM; neural differentiation