Trans-Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Into Cholinergic-Like Neurons Via Nerve Growth Factor

Shahram Darabi; Taki Tiraihi; Maryam Nazm Bojnordi; Hatef Ghasemi Hamidabadi; Nourollah Rezaei; Maria Zahiri; Rafieh Alizadeh

doi:10.32598/bcn.10.6.609

Trans-Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Into Cholinergic-Like Neurons Via Nerve Growth Factor

Basic Clin Neurosci. 2019 Nov-Dec;10(6):609-617. doi: 10.32598/bcn.10.6.609. Epub 2019 Nov 1.

Authors

Shahram Darabi¹, Taki Tiraihi², Maryam Nazm Bojnordi^{3

4}, Hatef Ghasemi Hamidabadi^{3

4}, Nourollah Rezaei^{3

4}, Maria Zahiri^{5

6}, Rafieh Alizadeh⁷

Affiliations

¹ Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Science, Qazvin, Iran.
² Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran.
³ Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
⁴ Immunogenetic Research Center, Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
⁵ The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
⁶ Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
⁷ ENT and Head & Neck Research Center and Department, Hazrat Rasoul Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Cell therapy has been widely considered as a therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases and nervous system damage. Cholinergic neurons as one of the most important neurons that play a significant role in controlling emotions, mobility, and autonomic systems. In this study, Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells (hDPSCs) were differentiated into the cholinergic neurons by β-mercaptoethanol in the preinduction phase and also by the nerve growth factor (NGF) in the induction phase.

Methods: The hDPSCs were evaluated for CD73, CD31, CD34, and Oct-4. Concentration-time relationships for NGF were assessed by evaluating the viability rate of cells and the immune response to nestin, neurofilament 160, microtubule-associated protein-2, and choline acetyltransferase.

Results: The hDPSCs had a negative response to CD34 and CD31. The optimal dose for the NGF was 50 ng/mL seven days after the induction when the highest percentage of expressing markers for the Cholinergic neurons (ChAT) was detected.

Conclusion: The results of this study provided a method for producing cholinergic neurons by hDPSCs, which can be used in cytotherapy for degenerative diseases of the nervous system and also spinal cord injury.

Keywords: Cholinergic neurons; Dental pulp; Differentiation; Nerve growth factor; Stem cells.