Histone deacetylase inhibition-mediated neuronal differentiation via the Wnt signaling pathway in human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Targeting histone deacetylase 9 represses fibrogenic phenotypes in buccal mucosal fibroblasts with arecoline stimulation

Background/purpose

Oral submucosal fibrosis (OSF) is a premalignant disorder positively associated with betel nut chewing. Recent studies supported the promising benefits of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors for fibrosis treatment. Here we aim to clarify the pro-fibrogenic role of HDAC9 in regulating OSF.

Materials and methods

Healthy and OSF specimens were collected to investigate the clinical significance of HDAC9. Chronic arecoline treatment process was used to induce arecoline-mediated myofibroblasts-related activation of primary buccal mucosa fibroblasts (BMFs). Functional analysis of collagen gel contraction, transwell migration, and wound-healing assays were performed to assess the change in pro-fibrogenic properties of BMFs and fibrotic BMFs (fBMFs). Lentiviral-mediated HDAC9 knockdown was used to verify the role of HDAC9 in the pro-fibrogenic process.

Results

We found that arecoline significantly increased the mRNA and protein expression of HDAC9 of BMFs in a dose-dependent manner. Knockdown of HDAC9 in BMFs reversed the strengthened effects of arecoline on collagen gel contraction, cell migration, and wound-healing ability. We further demonstrated that knockdown of HDAC9 in fBMFs significantly attenuated its inherent pro-fibrogenic properties. Furthermore, we confirmed a significantly increased expression of HDAC9 mRNA in OSF compared to normal tissues, which suggested a positive correlation between the up-regulation of HDAC9 and OSF.

Conclusion

We demonstrated that silencing of HDAC9 inhibited arecoline-induced activation and inherent pro-fibrogenic properties, suggesting potential therapeutics by targeting HDAC9 in the OSF treatment.

BML-281 promotes neuronal differentiation by modulating Wnt/Ca2+ and Wnt/PCP signaling pathway

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors promote differentiation through post-translational modifications of histones. BML-281, an HDAC6 inhibitor, has been known to prevent tumors, acute dextran sodium sulfate-associated colitis, and lung injury. However, the neurogenic differentiation effect of BML-281 is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of BML-281 on neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell differentiation into mature neurons by immunocytochemistry (ICC), reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), quantitative PCR (qPCR), and western blotting analysis. We found that the cells treated with BML-281 showed neurite outgrowth and morphological changes into mature neurons under a microscope. It was confirmed that the gene expression of neuronal markers (NEFL, MAP2, Tuj1, NEFH, and NEFM) was increased with certain concentrations of BML-281. Similarly, the protein expression of neuronal markers (NeuN, Synaptophysin, Tuj1, and NFH) was upregulated with BML-281 compared to untreated cells. Following treatment with BML-281, the expression of Wnt5α increased, and downstream pathways were activated. Interestingly, both Wnt/Ca2+ and Wnt/PCP pathways activated and regulated PKC, Cdc42, RhoA, Rac1/2/3, and p-JNK. Therefore, BML-281 induces the differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells into mature neurons by activating the non-canonical Wnt signaling pathway. From these results, we concluded that BML-281 might be a novel drug to differentiation into neuronal cells through the regulation of Wnt signaling pathway to reduce the neuronal cell death.

Effects of HDAC inhibitors on neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell differentiation into mature neurons via the Wnt signaling pathway

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors affect cell homeostasis, gene expression, and cell cycle progression and promote cell terminal differentiation or apoptosis. However, the effect of HDAC inhibition on SH-SY5Y cells, which are neuroblastoma cells capable of differentiating into neurons under specific conditions, such as in the presence of retinoic acid (RA), is unknown. In this study, we hypothesized that HDAC inhibitors induced the neuronal differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells. To test this hypothesis, we used phase contrast microscopy, immunocytochemistry (ICC), qPCR, and western blotting analysis. MS-275 and valproic acid (VPA), two HDAC inhibitors, were selected to evaluate neuronal differentiation. It was confirmed that cells treated with MS-275 or VPA differentiated into mature neurons, which were distinguished by bipolar or multipolar morphologies with elongated branches. In addition, the mRNA expression of neuronal markers (Tuj1 and NEFH) and the oligodendrocyte marker (CNP) was significantly increased with MS-275 or VPA treatment compared to that with RA treatment. In addition, the protein expression of the other neuronal markers, Tuj1 and NeuN, was highly increased with HDAC inhibitor treatments compared to that with RA treatment. Furthermore, we confirmed that noncanonical Wnt signaling was upregulated by HDAC inhibitors via MAPK signaling and the Wnt/JNK pathway. Therefore, both MS-275 and VPA promoted the differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells into mature neurons via the Wnt signaling pathway.

Stem cells and common biomaterials in dentistry: a review study

Stem cells exist as normal cells in embryonic and adult tissues. In recent years, scientists have spared efforts to determine the role of stem cells in treating many diseases. Stem cells can self-regenerate and transform into some somatic cells. They would also have a special position in the future in various clinical fields, drug discovery, and other scientific research. Accordingly, the detection of safe and low-cost methods to obtain such cells is one of the main objectives of research. Jaw, face, and mouth tissues are the rich sources of stem cells, which more accessible than other stem cells, so stem cell and tissue engineering treatments in dentistry have received much clinical attention in recent years. This review study examines three essential elements of tissue engineering in dentistry and clinical practice, including stem cells derived from the intra- and extra-oral sources, growth factors, and scaffolds.

Temporal perturbation of histone deacetylase activity reveals a requirement for HDAC1-3 in mesendoderm cell differentiation

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are a class of enzymes that control chromatin state and influence cell fate. We evaluated the chromatin accessibility and transcriptome dynamics of zinc-containing HDACs during cell differentiation in vitro coupled with chemical perturbation to identify the role of HDACs in mesendoderm cell fate specification. Single-cell RNA sequencing analyses of HDAC expression during human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) differentiation in vitro and mouse gastrulation in vivo reveal a unique association of HDAC1 and -3 with mesendoderm gene programs during exit from pluripotency. Functional perturbation with small molecules reveals that inhibition of HDAC1 and -3, but not HDAC2, induces mesoderm while impeding endoderm and early cardiac progenitor specification. These data identify unique biological functions of the structurally homologous enzymes HDAC1-3 in influencing hPSC differentiation from pluripotency toward mesendodermal and cardiac progenitor populations.

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Impair Glioblastoma Cell Motility and Proliferation

Simple Summary

Glioblastoma (GBM) is considered the deadliest brain tumor; with patients displaying a high incidence of relapse and a 3-year survival of only 3–5%. For these reasons, investigation of the molecular basis of the disease could provide novel targets for therapy and improve patient prognoses. Based on our previous data, demonstrating that high levels of the transcription factor TCF4 (TCF7L2) sustain the aggressiveness and the stem cell features of these tumors, in this study we tested the ability of the histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDI) Trichostatin-A and Vorinostat to suppress TCF4 levels. We demonstrated that HDI treatment impairs proliferation and viability of GBM cells. Moreover, molecular analysis of HDI effects disclosed their ability to counteract tumor cell motility by affecting the RhoA-GTPase and the interferon pathways, supporting their further characterization as potential anti-GBM agents.

Abstract

Despite being subjected to high-dose chemo and radiotherapy, glioblastoma (GBM) patients still encounter almost inevitable relapse, due to the capability of tumor cells to disseminate and invade normal brain tissues. Moreover, the presence of a cancer stem cell (CSC) subpopulation, already demonstrated to better resist and evade treatments, further frustrates potential therapeutic approaches. In this context, we previously demonstrated that GBM is characterized by a tightly-regulated balance between the β-catenin cofactors TCF1 and TCF4, with high levels of TCF4 responsible for sustaining CSC in these tumors; thus, supporting their aggressive features. Since histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDI) have been reported to strongly reduce TCF4 levels in colon cancer cells, we hypothesized that they could also exert a similar therapeutic action in GBM. Here, we treated primary GBM cultures with Trichostatin-A and Vorinostat, demonstrating their ability to strongly suppress the Wnt-dependent pathways; thus, promoting CSC differentiation and concomitantly impairing GBM cell viability and proliferation. More interestingly, analysis of their molecular effects suggested a prominent HDI action against GBM cell motility/migration, which we demonstrated to rely on the inhibition of the RhoA-GTPase and interferon intracellular cascades. Our results suggest HDI as potential therapeutic agents in GBM, through their action on multiple cancer hallmarks.

Metabolic Remodeling Impacts the Epigenetic Landscape of Dental Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Epigenetic regulation can dynamically adjust the gene expression program of cell fate decision according to the cellular microenvironment. Emerging studies have shown that metabolic activities provide fundamental components for epigenetic modifications and these metabolic-sensitive epigenetic events dramatically impact the cellular function of stem cells. Dental mesenchymal stem cells are promising adult stem cell resource for in situ injury repair and tissue engineering. In this review, we discuss the impact of metabolic fluctuations on epigenetic modifications in the oral and maxillofacial regions. The principles of the metabolic link to epigenetic modifications and the interaction between metabolite substrates and canonical epigenetic events in dental mesenchymal stem cells are summarized. The coordination between metabolic pathways and epigenetic events plays an important role in cellular progresses including differentiation, inflammatory responses, and aging. The metabolic-epigenetic network is critical for expanding our current understanding of tissue homeostasis and cell fate decision and for guiding potential therapeutic approaches in dental regeneration and infectious diseases.

The Role of Histone Acetylation in Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation

The mechanism and action concerning epigenetic modifications, especially that of histone modifications, are not fully understood. However, it is clear that histone modifications play an essential role in several biological processes that are involved in cell proliferation and differentiation. In this article, we focused on how histone acetylation may result in differentiation into mesenchymal stem cells as well as histone acetylation function. Moreover, histone acetylation followed by the action of histone deacetylase inhibitors, which can result in the differentiation of stem cells into other types of cells such as adipocytes, chondrocytes, osteocytes, neurons, and other lineages, were also reviewed.

Natural Membrane Differentiates Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Neurospheres by Mechanotransduction Related to YAP and AMOT Proteins

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) are promising candidates for regenerative medicine, as they have good cell yield and can differentiate into several cell lines. When induced to the neuronal differentiation, they form neurospheres composed of neural precursors (NPs) that can be an alternative in treating neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to characterize NPs from neurospheres obtained after seeding ADMSCs on a natural polyisoprene-based membrane. The ADMSCs were isolated from adipose tissue by enzymatic dissociation, were subjected to trilineage differentiation, and were characterized by flow cytometry for specific ADMSC surface markers. For neuronal differentiation, the cells were seeded on polystyrene flasks coated with the membrane and were characterized by immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. The results demonstrated that the isolated cells showed characteristics of ADMSCs. At 15 to 25 days, ADMSCs seeded on the natural membrane developed neurospheres. Then, after dissociation, the cells demonstrated characteristic neuronal markers expressed on NPs: nestin, ß-III tubulin, GFAP, NeuN, and the YAP1/AMOT in the cytoplasm. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that this membrane differentiates the ADMSCs to NPs without any induction factors, and suggests that their differentiation mechanisms are related to mechanotransduction regulated by the YAP and AMOT proteins.

Histone deacetylase in neuropathology

Neuroepigenetics, a new branch of epigenetics, plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression. Neuroepigenetics is associated with holistic neuronal function and helps in formation and maintenance of memory and learning processes. This includes neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative defects in which histone modification enzymes appear to play a crucial role. These modifications, carried out by acetyltransferases and deacetylases, regulate biologic and cellular processes such as apoptosis and autophagy, inflammatory response, mitochondrial dysfunction, cell-cycle progression and oxidative stress. Alterations in acetylation status of histone as well as non-histone substrates lead to transcriptional deregulation. Histone deacetylase decreases acetylation status and causes transcriptional repression of regulatory genes involved in neural plasticity, synaptogenesis, synaptic and neural plasticity, cognition and memory, and neural differentiation. Transcriptional deactivation in the brain results in development of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Mounting evidence implicates histone deacetylase inhibitors as potential therapeutic targets to combat neurologic disorders. Recent studies have targeted naturally-occurring biomolecules and micro-RNAs to improve cognitive defects and memory. Multi-target drug ligands targeting HDAC have been developed and used in cell-culture and animal-models of neurologic disorders to ameliorate synaptic and cognitive dysfunction. Herein, we focus on the implications of histone deacetylase enzymes in neuropathology, their regulation of brain function and plausible involvement in the pathogenesis of neurologic defects.

Butyrate modulates adipose-derived stem cells isolated from polygenic obese and diabetic mice to drive enhanced immunosuppression

BACKGROUND AIMS

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) offer promising therapeutic possibilities for immunomodulation. Butyrate (BA) exerts potent anti-inflammatory effects and exhibits multiple regulatory functionalities in adipose tissue (AT). The authors aimed to explore whether BA modulates ASCs to augment their immunosuppressive capabilities.

METHODS

The authors examined the potency of BA and ASCs for controlling anti-CD3 plus CD28-stimulated splenocyte proliferation in vitro, both in combination and with pre-treatment. Further, the authors investigated genes specifically upregulated by BA-treated ASCs, which were harvested from ASC-splenocyte co-culture after the removal of floating splenocytes. In addition, the authors investigated the influence of oral BA supplementation on the ex vivo immunosuppressive potency of ASCs from BALB/c and Tsumura, Suzuki, obese, diabetes (TSOD) mice.

RESULTS

BA enhanced the immunosuppressive potency of ASCs when directly added to ASC-splenocyte co-cultures or via pre-conditioning treatment. The percentages of ASC-induced Foxp3⁺ regulatory T cells increased, whereas the numbers of ASC-suppressed T helper 17 cells further decreased after BA exposure. The messenger RNA expression levels of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS), chemokines, IL-10 and amphiregulin in ASCs co-cultured with activated splenocytes were upregulated after incubation with BA. This was accompanied by an amplification of iNOS-inducing cytokines, interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the ASC-splenocyte co-culture, triggering ASCs to produce high NO levels under the influence of BA. Mechanistically, the authors detected BA-mediated acetylated histone H3 in ASCs. BA treatment consistently improved the immunosuppressive potency of ASCs derived from both BALB/c and TSOD mice.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of BA to counteract metaflammation by restoring the defective immunomodulation of ASCs from dysregulated AT in obese donors is recommended.

Identification of hub genes and compounds controlling ovarian cancer stem cell characteristics via stemness indices analysis

Background

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecological malignancy. It has been reported that cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a crucial role in disseminated metastases in abdominal cavity and chemotherapy resistance of high-grade serous OC. However, the overall gene expression features of OC stem cells have not been clarified.

Methods

Expression datasets of 379 OC samples and 88 normal tissues were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Genotype Tissue Expression (GTEx) project. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened using the “limma” package in R software. Among the DEGs, modules and hub genes that were highly related to messenger RNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi) and epigenetically regulated mRNAsi indices were identified via weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). These hub genes were considered to be associated with OC stem cells. The Gene Ontology (GO) project and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was used to identify the main biological processes that hub genes participated in. Finally, Connectivity Map (CMap) was used to predict compounds that disturb the hub genes.

Results

We identified 2,253 DEGs; of these, 31 had a significantly positive correlation to mRNAsi indices and were upregulated in OC, while 41 of them had a significantly negative correlation with mRNAsi indices and were downregulated in OC. Correlation analysis indicated that hub genes from the same module composed a dense interaction network. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis demonstrated that hub genes primarily play roles in cell division and proliferation. Moreover, the compounds that may disturb hub genes were identified. Of these, 11 compounds, including MS-275, DL-thiorphan, and GW-8510, which have never been studied in OC stem cells, were screened as underlying treatments targeting OC stem cells.

Conclusions

Altogether, 72 hub genes that were closely linked to OC stem cell characteristics were found to mainly participate in cell division and proliferation. Moreover, compounds that disturb these hub gens were identified and can be considered underlying targets for inhibiting OC stem cells.

Transcriptional analysis of sodium valproate in a serotonergic cell line reveals gene regulation through both HDAC inhibition-dependent and independent mechanisms

Sodium valproate (VPA) is a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, widely prescribed in the treatment of bipolar disorder, and yet the precise modes of therapeutic action for this drug are not fully understood. After exposure of the rat serotonergic cell line RN46A to VPA, RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis showed widespread changes in gene expression. Analysis by four bioinformatic pipelines revealed as many as 230 genes were significantly upregulated and 72 genes were significantly downregulated. A subset of 23 differentially expressed genes was selected for validation using the nCounter® platform, and of these we obtained robust validation for ADAM23, LSP1, MAOB, MMP13, PAK3, SERPINB2, SNAP91, WNT6, and ZCCHC12. We investigated the effect of lithium on this subset and found four genes, CDKN1C, LSP1, SERPINB2, and WNT6 co-regulated by lithium and VPA. We also explored the effects of other HDAC inhibitors and the VPA analogue valpromide on the subset of 23 selected genes. Expression of eight of these genes, CDKN1C, MAOB, MMP13, NGFR, SHANK3, VGF, WNT6 and ZCCHC12, was modified by HDAC inhibition, whereas others did not appear to respond to several HDAC inhibitors tested. These results suggest VPA may regulate genes through both HDAC-dependent and independent mechanisms. Understanding the broader gene regulatory effects of VPA in this serotonergic cell model should provide insights into how this drug works and whether other HDAC inhibitor compounds may have similar gene regulatory effects, as well as highlighting molecular processes that may underlie regulation of mood.

Effects of the histone acetylase inhibitor C646 on growth and differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells

As an important histone acetylase, the transcriptional coactivator P300/CBP affects target gene expression and plays a role in the maintenance of stem cell characteristics and differentiation potential. In this study, we explored the action of a highly effective selective histone acetylase inhibitor, C646, on goat adipose-derived stem cells (gADSCs), and investigated the impact of histone acetylation on the growth characteristics and the differentiation potential of ADSCs. We found that C646 blocked the cell proliferation, arrested the cell cycle, and triggered apoptosis. Notably, immunocytochemistry and western blot analyses showed that the acetylation level of histone H3K9 was increased. Moreover, although real-time quantitative PCR and western blot confirmed that P300 expression was inhibited under these conditions, the expression level of two other histone acetylases, TIP60 and PCAF, was significantly increased. Furthermore, C646 clearly promoted the differentiation of gADSCs into adipocytes and had an impact on their differentiation into neuronal cells. This study provides new insights into the epigenetic regulation of stem cell differentiation and may represent an experimental basis for the comprehension of stem cell characteristics and function. Furthermore, it is of great relevance for the application of adult stem cells to somatic cell cloning, which may improve the efficiency of large livestock cloning and foster the production of transgenic animals.

Chromatin-modifying drugs and metabolites in cell fate control

For multicellular organisms, it is essential to produce a variety of specialized cells to perform a dazzling panoply of functions. Chromatin plays a vital role in determining cellular identities, and it dynamically regulates gene expression in response to changing nutrient metabolism and environmental conditions. Intermediates produced by cellular metabolic pathways are used as cofactors or substrates for chromatin modification. Drug analogues of metabolites that regulate chromatin‐modifying enzyme reactions can also regulate cell fate by adjusting chromatin organization. In recent years, there have been many studies about how chromatin‐modifying drug molecules or metabolites can interact with chromatin to regulate cell fate. In this review, we systematically discuss how DNA and histone‐modifying molecules alter cell fate by regulating chromatin conformation and propose a mechanistic model that explains the process of cell fate transitions in a concise and qualitative manner.

Regulation of neuronal commitment in mouse embryonic stem cells by the Reno1/Bahcc1 locus

Mammalian genomes encode thousands of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), yet the biological functions of most of them remain unknown. A particularly rich repertoire of lncRNAs found in mammalian brain and in the early embryo. We used RNA-seq and computational analysis to prioritize lncRNAs that may regulate commitment of pluripotent cells to a neuronal fate and perturbed their expression prior to neuronal differentiation. Knockdown by RNAi of two highly conserved and well-expressed lncRNAs, Reno1 (2810410L24Rik) and lnc-Nr2f1, decreased the expression of neuronal markers and led to massive changes in gene expression in the differentiated cells. We further show that the Reno1 locus forms increasing spatial contacts during neurogenesis with its adjacent protein-coding gene Bahcc1. Loss of either Reno1 or Bahcc1 leads to an early arrest in neuronal commitment, failure to induce a neuronal gene expression program, and to global reduction in chromatin accessibility at regions that are marked by the H3K4me3 chromatin mark at the onset of differentiation. Reno1 and Bahcc1 thus form a previously uncharacterized circuit required for the early steps of neuronal commitment.

Gestational Exposure to Sodium Valproate Disrupts Fasciculation of the Mesotelencephalic Dopaminergic Tract, With a Selective Reduction of Dopaminergic Output From the Ventral Tegmental Area

Gestational exposure to valproic acid (VPA) is known to cause behavioral deficits of sociability, matching similar alterations in human autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Available data are scarce on the neuromorphological changes in VPA-exposed animals. Here, we focused on alterations of the dopaminergic system, which is implicated in motivation and reward, with relevance to social cohesion. Whole brains from 7-day-old mice born to mothers given a single injection of VPA (400 mg/kg b.wt.) on E13.5 were immunostained against tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). They were scanned using the iDISCO method with a laser light-sheet microscope, and the reconstructed images were analyzed in 3D for quantitative morphometry. A marked reduction of mesotelencephalic (MT) axonal fascicles together with a widening of the MT tract were observed in VPA treated mice, while other major brain tracts appeared anatomically intact. We also found a reduction in the abundance of dopaminergic ventral tegmental (VTA) neurons, accompanied by diminished tissue level of DA in ventrobasal telencephalic regions (including the nucleus accumbens (NAc), olfactory tubercle, BST, substantia innominata). Such a reduction of DA was not observed in the non-limbic caudate-putamen. Conversely, the abundance of TH+ cells in the substantia nigra (SN) was increased, presumably due to a compensatory mechanism or to an altered distribution of TH+ neurons occupying the SN and the VTA. The findings suggest that defasciculation of the MT tract and neuronal loss in VTA, followed by diminished dopaminergic input to the ventrobasal telencephalon at a critical time point of embryonic development (E13-E14) may hinder the patterning of certain brain centers underlying decision making and sociability.

Control of mesenchymal stem cell biology by histone modifications

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered the most promising seed cells for regenerative medicine because of their considerable therapeutic properties and accessibility. Fine-tuning of cell biological processes, including differentiation and senescence, is essential for achievement of the expected regenerative efficacy. Researchers have recently made great advances in understanding the spatiotemporal gene expression dynamics that occur during osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs and the intrinsic and environmental factors that affect these processes. In this context, histone modifications have been intensively studied in recent years and have already been indicated to play significant and universal roles in MSC fate determination and differentiation. In this review, we summarize recent discoveries regarding the effects of histone modifications on MSC biology. Moreover, we also provide our insights and perspectives for future applications.

The Cellular and Molecular Patterns Involved in the Neural Differentiation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

Injuries to the nervous system cause serious problems among affected patients by preventing them from the possibility of living a normal life. As this tissue possesses a reduced capacity of self-regeneration currently, lots of different strategies are being developed in order to make the regeneration in the nervous system possible. Among them, tissue engineering and stem cell-based therapies are to date very exploded fields and tremendous progress has been made in this direction. As the two main components of the nervous system, react differently to injuries and behave different during disease, it is clear that two separate regeneration approaches have been taken into consideration during development of treatment. Special attention is constantly given to the potential of adipose-derived stem cells for this kind of application. Due to the fact that they present remarkable properties, they can easily be obtained and have demonstrated that are capable of engaging in neural and glial lineages, adipose-derived stem cells are promising tools for the field of nervous system regeneration. Moreover, new insights into epigenetic control and modifications during the differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells towards the neural liege could provide new methods to maximize the regeneration process. In this review, we summarize the current applications of adipose-derived stem cells for neural regeneration and discuss in-depth molecular patterns involved in the differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells in neuron-like cells and Schwann-like cells.

Valproate Exposure in ovo Attenuates the Acquisition of Social Preferences of Young Post-hatch Domestic Chicks

Embryonic exposure to valproic acid (VPA) is known to produce sociability deficits, resembling human autistic phenotypes, in several vertebrate species. Animals living in groups prefer the proximity of peers and have the ability to perceive and to respond to social signals for modifying behavior. Chicks of Galliform birds, known to display early preference behaviors, have been used extensively for adaptive learning studies. Young precocial birds seem to be useful models also for studying the effect of embryonic VPA treatment. Here, domestic chicken eggs were injected with sodium valproate (200 μl of 35 μmol/L solution) or with vehicle (distilled water) on the 14th day of incubation. After hatching, the chicks were tested for one-trial passive avoidance learning at day 1, vocalization due to isolation as a measure of stress level (day 2), approach preference to large versus small groups of age-matched conspecifics (day 5), and to those with normal versus blurred head features (day 7). In addition, we tested the preference of birds to conspecifics reared in group versus those reared in isolation (day 9), as well as the preference of chicks to familiar versus non-familiar conspecifics (day 21). Our findings confirm previous reports concerning an adverse effect of VPA on embryonic development, including a tendency for aborted or delayed hatching and, occasionally, for locomotor disorders in a small percentage of birds (eliminated from later studies). Otherwise, VPA treatment did not impair motor activity or distress level. Memory formation for the aversive stimulus and discrimination of colors were not impaired by VPA treatment either. Innate social predispositions manifested in approach preferences for the larger target group or for the birds with natural facial features remained unaffected by VPA exposure. The most prominent finding was attenuation of social exploration in VPA-exposed birds (expressed as the frequency of positional switches between two stimulus chicks after the first choice), followed by a deficit in the recognition of familiar conspecifics, unfolding at the end of the third week. Social exploration and recognition of familiar individuals are the key elements impaired at this stage. The results underline the importance of early social exploration in ASD.

Progress and Applications of Polyphosphate in Bone and Cartilage Regeneration

Patients with bone and cartilage defects due to infection, tumors, and trauma are quite common. Repairing bone and cartilage defects is thus a major problem for clinicians. Autologous and artificial bone transplantations are associated with many challenges, such as limited materials and immune rejection. Bone and cartilage regeneration has become a popular research topic. Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) is a widely occurring biopolymer with high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds that exists in organisms from bacteria to mammals. Much data indicate that polyP acts as a regulator of gene expression in bone and cartilage tissues and exerts morphogenetic effects on cells involved in bone and cartilage formation. Exposure of these cells to polyP leads to the increase of cytokines that promote the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts, accelerates the osteoblast mineralization process, and inhibits the differentiation of osteoclast precursors to functionally active osteoclasts. PolyP-based materials have been widely reported in in vivo and in vitro studies. This paper reviews the current cellular mechanisms and material applications of polyP in bone and cartilage regeneration.

Save your gut save your age: The role of the microbiome in stem cell ageing

The tremendous importance of microbiota in microbial homoeostasis, alterations in metabolism and both innate and adaptive immune systems has been well established. A growing body of evidence support that dysbiosis or compositional changes in gut microbiota is linked to the ageing of stem cells in terms of dysregulations of metabolism, aberrant activation of the immune system as well as promoting epigenetic instability of stem cell. In this concise review, we elucidate recent emerging topics on microbiotic alterations and underlying mechanisms in stem cell ageing.

Molecular Mechanisms of Transdifferentiation of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells into Neural Cells: Current Status and Perspectives

Neurological diseases can severely compromise both physical and psychological health. Recently, adult mesenchymal stem cell- (MSC-) based cell transplantation has become a potential therapeutic strategy. However, most studies related to the transdifferentiation of MSCs into neural cells have had disappointing outcomes. Better understanding of the mechanisms underlying MSC transdifferentiation is necessary to make adult stem cells more applicable to treating neurological diseases. Several studies have focused on adipose-derived stromal/stem cell (ADSC) transdifferentiation. The purpose of this review is to outline the molecular characterization of ADSCs, to describe the methods for inducing ADSC transdifferentiation, and to examine factors influencing transdifferentiation, including transcription factors, epigenetics, and signaling pathways. Exploring and understanding the mechanisms are a precondition for developing and applying novel cell therapies.

Data for the effect of histone deacetylase inhibitors on voltage- and ligand-gated ion channel gene expression in neurogenic induced-human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells

This data article contains descriptive and experimental data on ion channel gene expressions following the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor treatment of neural induced human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (NI-hADSCs). Following treatment of the HDAC inhibitors, such as MS-275, NaB, TSA, or VPA, the phenotypes of NI-hADSCs exhibit neuron-like features and the neurofilament-L (NFL)-positive cells were increased. The expression of the ion channel marker genes, such as SCN5A, KCNA4, and CACNA1G, was highly increased following treatment with the HDAC inhibitors; however, the expression of others was either decreased or unchanged. For further details and experimental findings please refer to the research article by Jang and Jeong. Histone deacetylase inhibition-mediated neuronal differentiation via the Wnt signaling pathway in human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (Jang and Jeong, 2018) [1].