Role of autophagy and mTOR signaling in neural differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Cell Biol Int. 2014 Nov;38(11):1337-43. doi: 10.1002/cbin.10320. Epub 2014 Aug 18.

Abstract

Autophagy is involved in cell differentiation. We present evidence that autophagy is activated during β-mercaptoethanol (β-ME)-induced neuronal differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), in which mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling is important. mTOR activity declined after being transported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Using 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and rapamycin to regulate the activity of mTOR, it was found that the efficiency of neuronal differentiation was affected.

Keywords: MSCs; autophagy; mTOR; neuronal differentiation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenine / analogs & derivatives
  • Adenine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Autophagy* / drug effects
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology*
  • Cell Differentiation*
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Mercaptoethanol / pharmacology
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Neurogenesis / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Sirolimus / pharmacology
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • 3-methyladenine
  • Mercaptoethanol
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Adenine
  • Sirolimus