A New Multistep Induction Protocol for the Transdifferentiation of Bone marrow Stromal Stem Cells into GABAergic Neuron-Like Cells

Bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSC) are appropriate source of multipotent stem cells that are ideally suited for use in various cell-based therapies. It can be differentiated into neuronal-like cells under appropriate conditions. This study examined the effectiveness of co-stimulation of creatine and retinoic acid in increasing the differentiation of BMSC into GABAergic neuron-like cells (GNLC).

BMSC isolated from the femurs and tibias of adult rats were cultured in DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with 10% FBS، pre-induced using β-mercaptoethanol (βME) and induced using retinoic acid (RA) and creatine. Immunostaining of neurofilament 200 kDa، neurofilament 160 kDa، nestin، fibronectin، Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) 65/67 were used to evaluate the transdifferentiation of BMSC into GNLC and to evaluate the effectiveness of pre-induction and induction assays. The expression of genes that encode fibronectin، octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct-4)، GAD 65/67 and the vesicular GABA transporter was examined in BMSC and GNLC by using RT-PCR assays during transdifferentiation of BMSC into GLNC.

Co-stimulation with RA and creatine during the induction stage doubled the rates of GABAergic differentiation compared with induction using creatine alone، resulting in a 71. 6% yield for GLNC. RT-PCR showed no expression of Oct-4 and fibronectin after the induction stage.

The results of this study showed that the application of βME، RA، and creatine induced the transdifferentiation of BMSC into GLNC.