Effect of all-trans retinoic acid on expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor in glioma stem cells / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in glioma stem cells (GSCs). Methods GSCs were isolated from human glioblastoma cell line U87 and identified by detecting the expressions of CD133 and nestin with immunofluorescence staining. The obtained GSCs were divided into control group,empty vector group (cultured with dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO]) and ATRA treatment group (cultured with 10 nmool/L ATRA).After 10 d of differentiation; the proliferation of the treated GSCs was evaluated using CCK8 assay; the expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP),β-tubulin Ⅲ and galactoeerebroside (GralC) in the cells were detected by immunofluorescence.VEGF and bFGF levels in cultured supernatant were measured by ELISA; the mRNA expressions of VEGF and bFGF were detected by RT-PCR. Results The target antibodies of neural stem cells (NSCs), CD133 and nestin,positively expressed in the GSCs; differentiated GSCs can differentiate several kinds of homologous daughter cells,which expressed the cell markers of astrocytes,neurons and oligodendrocytes: GFAP, β-tubulin LⅢ and GalC, respectively. The percentage of GFAP-positive differentiated GSC s in the ATRA treatment group was significantly higher as compared with that in the other 2 groups after 10 d of differentiation (P＜0.05); the speed of proliferation of GSCs in ATRA treatment group was obviously slower than that in the other 2 groups 3-7 d after differentiation (P＜0.05).The VEGF and bFGF levels and the mRNA expression levels of VEGF and bFGF in GSCs of the ATRA treatment group 24 h after differentiation were also significantly lower than those in the other 2 groups (P＜0.05). Conclusion ATRA can induce the differentiation of GSCs and inhibit its proliferation.It may exerts its anti-glioblastoma effect through the VEGF and bFGF signaling pathways.