Effects of Ciwujia in inducing marrow stromal cell differentiation into neuron-like cells in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of the traditional Chinese herbal drug Ciwujia in inducing the differentiation of marrow stromal cells (MSCs) into neuron-like cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat MSCs isolated from the whole bone marrow were amplified by adherent culture in vitro and induced to differentiate into neuron-like cells using serum-free DMEM/F12 containing Ciwujia. The protein and mRNA expressions of nestin, beta-Tubulin III and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the differentiated cells were detected by indirect immunofluorescence method, Western blotting and RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The third-passage MSCs showed positive expression rates for CD44 and CD54 beyond 90% with decreased CD14 expression rate to 2.37%. Induction by Ciwujia of the MSCs resulted in cell body shrinkage and protrusion of the cell processes resembling those of neurons. The differentiated cells were positive for nestin and beta-Tubulin III expression and negative for GFAP as shown by immunofluorescence assay, Western blotting and RT-PCR.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ciwujia can induce the differentiation of rat MSCs into neuron-like cells in vitro.</p>