Transfection of BDNF gene promotes bone mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into neuron-like cells / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To provide further foundation for the therapy for spine cord injury by transferred mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) expressing the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene.@*METHODS@#Bone mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from rats and directly cultivated and expanded in vitro. Bone mesenchymal stem cells were divided into 3 groups: a pEGFP-N1- BDNF-transfected group (BDNF group), a pEGFP-N1 transfected group (vector group) and a non-transfected group. Western blot was applied to detect the expression of transgenic bone mesenchymal stem cells. The differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells was identified by immunofluorescence. The rates of induction of neuron-like cells among the three cell groups were compared.@*RESULTS@#The cell surface markers of bone mesenchymal stem cells included expression of CD90 (+), CD44 (+), CD34 (-), CD45 (-). The expression of BDNF in the transfected bone mesenchymal stem cells was demonstrated by Western blot. The positive ratio of neuron-like differentiation in the BDNF group was higher than that of both the vector group and the non-transfected group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#BDNF gene plays an important role in promoting bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into neuron-like cells.