Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6281206 | Neuroscience Letters | 2015 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
The effects of the vitamin E isomer δ-tocopherol on neural stem cell (NSC) differentiation have not been investigated until now. Here we investigated the effects of δ-tocopherol on NSC neural differentiation, maturation and its possible mechanisms. Neonatal rat NSCs were grown in suspended neurosphere cultures, and were identified by their expression of nestin protein and their capacity for self-renewal. Treatment with a low concentration of δ-tocopherol induced a significant increase in the percentage of β-III-tubulin-positive cells. δ-Tocopherol also stimulated morphological maturation of neurons in culture. We further observed that δ-tocopherol stimulation increased the expression of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. Moreover, a L-type specific Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil reduced the percentage of differentiated neurons after δ-tocopherol treatment, and blocked the effects of δ-tocopherol on NSC differentiation into neurons. Together, our study demonstrates that δ-tocopherol may act through elevation of L-type calcium channel activity to increase neuronal differentiation.
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Authors
Sihao Deng, Guoqiang Hou, Zhiqin Xue, Longmei Zhang, Yuye Zhou, Chao Liu, Yanqing Liu, Zhiyuan Li,