Immunocytochemical evaluation of expression of neuroepithelial, neural and GABAergic-like neuron markers in transdifferentiated BMSCs using appropriate in vitro inducers

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) have been shown to be a feasible option for cell therapy. There is increasing evidence that BMSCs have the potential of differentiation into GABAergic like neuron cells (GLNCs) in vitro under appropriate induction protocols. GABAergic dysfunction is implicated in several neurological disorders. The present study provides evidence for an in vitro potential of BMSCs to transdifferentiate into GLNCs.

BMSCs were collected from long bones of adult Sprague–Dawley rats، following three passages of cell culture، BMSCs were preinduced using 1 mM β-mercaptoethanol (βME) and 10 µM retinoic acid (RA)، they were then induced by creatine 5 mM in different days as an inducer. In preinduction and induction stages، the effects of these inducers on differentiation of BMSCs were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.

Our results indicated that after induction stage، a high percentage of GLNCs is expressed. According to GABAergic markers (GABA antibody)، 5 mM creatine and 10 µM RA after 4 days had a prominent role on differentiation of BMSCs to GLNCs.

βME، RA and creatine induce differentiation of BMSCs into GLNCs.