Characterization of neuronal precursors obtained from human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can be isolated from any tissue derived from the mesoderm and have as main characteristics: high plasticity, the ability to originate mesodermal and non-mesodermal tissues, acting in the modulation of the inflammatory response, and the tissue repair. When grown in microenvironments with elasticity comparable to the human brain, these cells can differentiate efficiently in neural cells due to the mechanism related to the YAP protein, which can mediate responses to substrate stiffness in mesenchymal stem cells. Methods Human adipose-derived MSCs were isolated*, then it was done the trilineage test into adipocytes, osteocytes and, chondrocytes. Besides that, differentiation to neural precursor cells was through neurospheres after seeding the cells over a natural biopolymer matrix as NFBX. Those cells were analyzed using flow cytometry for the surface markers CD13, CD34, CD45, CD73, CD90, CD105, HLA-DR, HLA-ABC, immunocytochemistry for the proteins Nestina, ß-tubulin III, YAP and AMOT and RT-PCR for the NEFM and TUBB3 genes. Results Isolated cells demonstrated characteristics of MSCs. Those cells were differentiated in neural precursors, expressing the proteins Nestina and ß-tubulin III on immunocytochemistry and, the NEFM and TUBB3 genes in RT-PCR. Regarding the YAP and AMOT proteins, it was possible to observe the translocation of the YAP protein in response to the regulation of AMOT out of the cell nucleus, proving neurodifferentiation. Conclusions Human adipose-derived MSCs seeded in a natural biopolymer matrix were able to differentiate into neural precursors expressing characteristic neural markers without adding any neural growth factors or genetic induction.