Effect of astragalus polysaccharides on the neuronal differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Active components of Astragalus have an antioxidant effect, which is considered to result in the neuron-like differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of astragalus polysaccharides combined with basic fibroblast growth factor to induce the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels into nerve cels. METHODS:After 24 hours of pretreatment with basic fibroblast growth factor, passage 3 human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels were cultured with astragalus polysaccharides for 1-3 days (combined group). Blank control group and basic fibroblast growth factor group were set up. Expression of neuron-specific enolase and nestin was detected using western blot or immunocytochemical staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The expression of neuron-specific enolase was higher in the combined group than the basic fibroblast growth factor group (P < 0.05). Expression of nestin was found in both basic fibroblast growth factor group and combined group, but the gray value was higher in the combined group than the basic fibroblast growth factor group (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that astragalus polysaccharides combined with basic fibroblast growth factor is better to induce the neuronal differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels.