Neural stem cell differentiation induced by Lipids

MONTANER A, , COSTA M, BANCHIO C.

Congreso; SAIB; 2016

Neural stem cell differentiation induced by LipidsMontaner, A.; Costa, M. and Banchio, C.Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR)- CONICET and Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas- UNR, Rosario, Argentina.Neural stem cells (NSCs) have a potential for self-renewal and differentiation into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocyte during nervous system development and after brain injuries; however, in the last case, this capacity is limited. We have previously shown that phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) enhances neuronal differentiation while phosphatidyletanholamine (PtdEtn) promotes glia differentiation. By Time Lapse Microscopy analysis we concluded that these phospholipids affect precursors (undifferentiated post mitotic cells) but not progenitors (dividing cells) behavior. Furthermore, we demonstrated that these lipids neither affect the rate of cell proliferation nor the mode of NSCs division.By immunofluorescence analysis using specific markers, we evidenced that PtdCho acts on unspecified precursors driving neuronal specification and, as a consequence, promoting neurogenesis. As a consequence, under this condition, astrogenesis is reduced due to a decrease in astrocytes precursors. In the case of PtdEtn, it enhances astrocytes specification and differentiation. To get insight into the molecular mechanism, we analyzed the signaling pathways that participate in each differentiation process specifically altered by PtdCho or PtdEtn, and identified that PtdEtn but not PtdCho induces astrocyte differentiation activating the MEK-ERK pathway.