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Effects of dexamethasone on neurogenesis in NT2 pluripotent human embryonal carcinoma cells
Author(s) -
McCarran William J.,
Monaghan A. Paula,
DeFranco Donald B.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.2_supplement.623
Subject(s) - neurogenesis , neurosphere , induced pluripotent stem cell , dexamethasone , neurite , biology , retinoic acid , glucocorticoid , endocrinology , cellular differentiation , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , cell culture , neuroscience , embryonic stem cell , in vitro , adult stem cell , genetics , gene
Glucocorticoids are utilized therapeutically during both the antenatal and postnatal periods in premature infants. It is now recognized that this treatment may be associated with an increased incidence of neuromotor disorders and neurobehavioral abnormalities. Animal models suggest that glucocorticoids may impair brain growth and neural development. We utilized NT2 pluripotent human embryonal carcinoma cells to characterize the effects of dexamethasone on human neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation in vitro. Undifferentiated NT2 cells were cultured in suspension and treated with retinoic acid (RA) to induce neuronal differentiation. RA treated cells formed neurospheres, which increased in size throughout the culture period as previously reported. Dexamethasone treatment decreased both the size and number of developing neurospheres in RA treated cultures. Dexamethasone also decreased neurite formation in mature NT2 neurospheres and neurons. These results demonstrate that dexamethasone alters neurogenesis and neuronal maturation in a human pluripotent cell line. Further studies utilizing this model may characterize the mechanisms of glucocorticoid action in developing neurons. Supported by NIH grants K12 HD052892 (WJM) and R01 DK078394 (DBD).