Korean J Phys Anthropol.  2018 Jun;31(2):41-49. 10.11637/kjpa.2018.31.2.41.

Effects of α-asarone on Proliferation and Differentiation of Neural Progenitor Cells

• Lee HJ
• Choi BT

• KMID: 2415440
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11637/kjpa.2018.31.2.41

Abstract

This study investigated whether α-asarone could promote proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells into the neuronal cell types in in vitro and ex vivo studies. For in vitro assay, neural progenitor cells were isolated from fetal cerebral cortex (E15) and checked cell proliferation rate and neural progenitor cell marker in neurospheres. Treatment of α-asarone, particularly at a concentration of 3 µM, promoted the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and effectively differentiated neural progenitor cells into neurons. For ex vivo assay, a hippocampi slice culture system from 7 day postnatal rat fetuses was used. Although slight tissue damage was observed in the hippocampus after the high concentration (100 µM) of α-asarone, however, α-asarone enhanced the proliferation of neural progenitor cells in dentate gyrus region and also effectively differentiated into neuroblast at concentration of 30 µM. Consequently, α-asarone promotes the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and effectively differentiates neural progenitor cells into neurons. Therefore, our results support the therapeutic benefits of α-asarone for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Keyword

α-asarone; Neural progenitor cell; Hippocampus; Proliferation; Differentiation

MeSH Terms

Animals
Cell Proliferation
Cerebral Cortex
Dentate Gyrus
Fetus
Hippocampus
In Vitro Techniques
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neurons
Rats
Stem Cells*