Autophagy-related gene Beclin-1 expression in neuron-like differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Yang Yi; Ding Wen-jing; Dong Wan-li

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2014.06.004

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have potential to self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation. But after a long period of culture in vitro, the proliferation and differentiation capacities of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells gradual y loss, the mechanism underlying which is not clear now. <br> OBJECTIVE:To observe the expression of autophagy-related gene Beclin-1 in differentiation from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into neuron-like cells in vitro. <br> METHODS:The changes of morphological characteristics of neuron-like cells differentiated from human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells induced by epidermal growth factor were observed. The expression of neuron-specific enolase and glial fibril ary acidic protein in treated and untreated human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were detected using immunocytochemistry. The Beclin-1 protein expressions were detected by western blot before and after induction. <br> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After being induced, human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells presented classical neuron-like morphology;the expressions of neuron-specific enolase and glial fibril ary acidic protein were 78.7%and 8.1%, respectively. The expression of Beclin-1 protein was changed correspondingly during the induction, which increased after 30 minutes of induction and decreased gradual y after 1 hour of induction. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells could be induced into neuron-like cells in vitro by epidermal growth factor. Autophagy-related gene was highly expressed in the induction of early differentiation and the expression gradual y reduced until it remained at a low level during the differentiation.