Nerve growth factor induces cord formation of mesenchymal stem cell by promoting proliferation and activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

AIM: To investigate whether nerve growth factor (NGF) induced angiogenesis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS: Bone marrow MSCs were isolated from femors or tibias of Sprague-Dawley rat, and cultured. The cells were purified after 3 to 5 passages, seeded on Matrigel-coated 24-well plates and treated with NGF. Tube formation was observed 24 h later. Tropomyosin-related kinase A (TrkA) and p75NTR gene expression was examined using PCR analysis and flow cytometry. Growth curves were determined via cell counting. Expression of VEGF and pAkt/Akt were analyzed with Western blot.

RESULTS: NGF (25, 50, 100 and 200 μg/L) promoted tube formation of MSCs. The tubular length reached the maximum of a 2.24-fold increase, when the cells were treated with NGF (50 μg/L). NGF (50 μg/L) significantly enhanced Akt phosphorylation. Pretreatment with the specific PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (10 μmol/L) blocked NGF-stimulated Akt phosphorylation, tube formation and angiogenesis. NGF (25-200 μg/L) did not affect the expression of TrkA and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but significantly suppressed the expression of p75NTR. NGF (50 μg/L) markedly increased the proliferation of MSCs.

CONCLUSION: NGF promoted proliferation of MSCs and activated the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which may be responsible for NGF induction of MSC angiogenesis.