Autophagy Promoted Neural Differentiation of Human Placenta-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Abstract

Background/Aim: Human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hPMSCs) are multipotent and possess neurogenicity. Numerous studies have shown that Notch inhibition and DNA demethylation promote neural differentiation. Here, we investigated the modulation of autophagy during neural differentiation of hPMSCs, induced by DAPT and 5-Azacytidine. Materials and Methods: hPMSCs were treated with DAPT to induce neural differentiation, and the autophagy regulating molecules were used to assess the impact of autophagy on neural differentiation. Results: The hPMSCs presented with typical mesenchymal stem cell phenotypes, in which the majority of cells expressed CD73, CD90 and CD105. hPMSCs were multipotent, capable of differentiating into mesodermal cells. After treatment with DAPT, hPMSCs upregulated the expression of neuronal genes including SOX2, Nestin, and βIII-tubulin, and the autophagy genes LC3I/II and Beclin. These genes were further increased when 5-Azacytidine was co-supplemented in the culture medium. The inhibition of autophagy by chloroquine impeded the neural differentiation of hPMSCs, marked by the downregulation of βIII-tubulin, while the activation of autophagy by valproic acid (VPA) instigated the emergence of βIII-tubulin-positive cells. Conclusion: During the differentiation process, autophagy was modulated, implying that autophagy could play a significant role during the differentiation of these cells. The blockage and stimulation of autophagy could either hinder or induce the formation of neural-like cells, respectively. Therefore, the refinement of autophagic activity at an appropriate level might improve the efficiency of stem cell differentiation.

Potential prognostic markers of retained placenta in dairy cows identified by plasma metabolomics coupled with clinical laboratory indicators

“…Once the balance of autophagy is disrupted, it will lead to placental dysplasia and abscission (Oh and Roh 2017 ; Sotthibundhu et al. 2021 ).…”