BACKGROUND: Uric acid as an endogenous antioxidant has garnered increasing attentions because of its anti-oxidation, anti-DNA damage and neuroprotective effects.
OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of uric acid at different concentrations on the neural differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.
METHODS: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were isolated, purified and cultured in vitro. The morphology change was observed. The third passages of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were induced to differentiate to neuron-like cells by induced liquid containing four different concentrations of uric acid
(0 mmol/L as control group, 0.2 mmol/L, 0.4 mmol/L, 0.8 mmol/L) for 24 hours. Then, after second intervention for 1 hour, cells were detected by Nissl staining and specific markers were detected by immunohistochemistry method.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: After induction, the cell body shrank, forming processes and connections. Nissl body was found in the cytoplasm. The positive rates of neuron-specific enolase were significantly higher in uric acid groups of different concentrations compared to the control group (P < 0.05); moreover, the positive rates of neuron-specific enolase were increased as the increase in concentrations of uric acid (P < 0.05). The positive rates of Nestin were decreased in uric acid groups of different concentrations compared to the control group(P < 0.05). After 4 hours of induction, cells fell off significantly. In a certain period of time, uric acid can promote differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into neuron-like cells in a certain concentration-dependent manner in vitro.