Cell Journal (Jan 2009)
Dehydroepiandroesteron Accompanied Retinoic Acid Enhances Differentiation of P19 Embryonal Stem Cells into Neural Cells
Abstract
Objective: Dehydroepiandroesteron (DHEA) is a neurosteroid with potential effect on neurogenesis,neuronal survival and proliferation of neural progenitor cells. However there is nodirect evidence for its biological effect during the differentiation of stem cell-derived neurons.The p19 line of embryonal carcinoma cells develops into neurons, astroglia and fibroblastsafter exposure to retinoic acid (RA). This study was initiated to assess the effect of DHEA onneural cells derived from p19 embryonal carcinoma stem cells.Materials and Methods: P19 cells were suspended in dulbecco’s modified eagle’s medium(DMED) containing fetal bovine serum (FBS) in bacterial-grade petri dishes in the presenceof RA, DHEA and RA+DHEA for 6 days. Then cells were trypsinized for dispersion and replacedin poly L- lysine (10μg/ml) coated tissue culture dishes without RA and DHEA for 4days. The expression of neural markers Map-2, Tau, beta-tubulin III- clone Juj (Tuj1), astrocytemarker GFAP and the percent of neurotransmitters tyrosin hydroxylase, glutamate, serotoninand actyl cholin transferase were evaluated by flowcytometry, immunocytochemistryand RT-PCR analysis.Results: Flowcytometry analysis showed that about 63 ± 3% of the cells express neuronalmarker Tuj1 and about 5 ± 1% of the cells express tyrosine hydroxylase neurotransmittersin RA treated groups. However when RA and DHEA were added to the culture medium, Tuj1expression increased to about 74 ± 1% and tyrosine hydroxylase expression increased to23 ± 2%.Conclusion: Results showed that DHEA accompanied RA increased the number of Tuj1 anddopaminergic neurons that were derived from p19 embryonal carcinoma stem cells.
