Effect of liquiritin on the proliferation of neural stem cells from the brain of mouse embryos / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Liquiritin has the protective and nutritive effects on neural stem cells. However, the effect of liquiritin on neural stem cells from the brain of mouse embryos remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of different concentrations of liquiritin on the proliferation of neural stem cells from the brain of mouse embryos. METHODS:Neural stem cells were separated from the embryonic brain of Kunming white mice at the gestational age of 14 days. The identification of embryonic neural stem cells was performed by immunocytochemistry method. The expression of neural stem cells-special genes was determined by qRT-PCR. The cell growth curve was drawn and proliferation of embryonic neural stem cells treated with 0, 1, 2, 4 or 8 g/L liquiritin for 48 hours was measured by MTT assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) When cultured at day 5, al individual neural stem cells gathered together into neurospheres; with the extension of time, the neurospheres were enlarged, and gathered together into larger cell masses. (2) Results from immunocytochemistry showed that all the floating neurospheres was nestin-positive. Data from qRT-PCR revealed a higher expression of nestin mRNA, but there was no expression of neuron-specific enolase and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the neural stem cells. (4) The growth of neural stem cells was slow at the beginning. After 2-3 days, the cell proliferation quickly entered the exponential phase. After 4 days, the cell proliferation gradually slowed down, and the overall cell growth entered into the platform period. (5) The cell proliferation after treatment with 2, 4 or 8 g/L liquiritin was faster than that in the control group (0 g/L). To conclude, 2-8 g/L liquiritin could increase the proliferation of neural stem cells from the brain of mouse embryos.