Differential expression pattern of gangliosides during the differentiation of human dental pulp-derived mesenchymal stem cells into dopaminergic neural-like cells

Abstract

Human dental pulp-derived stem cells (hDPSCs) have been considered as alternative sources of adult stem cells because of their potential to differentiate into multiple cell lineages. Gangliosides, which sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids are abundantly expressed in the plasma membrane and which play an important role in various processes, such as proliferation and differentiation. This study investigated the possible role of gangliosides in dopaminergic neural differentiation. When hDPSCs were cultured under dopaminergic neural differentiation conditions, the expression of dopaminergic neural cell markers genes such as TH, Pitx-3, Nurr-1, and DAT were detected. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that ganglioside biosynthesis was associated with the dopaminergic neural differentiation of hDPSCs. Specifically, GD3 and GT1b were expressed during dopaminergic neural differentiation. These results suggest that gangliosides may play a role in the dopaminergic neural differentiation process of hDPSCs.