Investigating the Synergic Effects of Valproic Acid and Crocin on BDNF and GDNF Expression in Epidermal Neural Crest Stem Cells
January 2020
in “
Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis
”
New to Valproic acid? There is a guide in the encyclopedia. Read the guide → Studysummary This study found that valproic acid and crocin, alone or together, significantly increased the expression levels of neurotrophic factors in rat-derived epidermal neural crest stem cells, suggesting therapeutic potential for neurological disorders. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
The study investigated the effects of valproic acid (VPA) and crocin on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial-cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in epidermal neural crest stem cells (EPI-NCSCs) isolated from rat hair follicles. The research found that treating these stem cells with 1 mM VPA and 1.5 mM crocin, as well as co-treating with 1 mM VPA and 500 μM crocin, promoted cell survival and proliferation. Real-time PCR results showed that both VPA and crocin, individually and in combination, significantly increased BDNF and GDNF expression levels. These findings suggested that VPA and crocin could enhance the differentiation capacity of EPI-NCSCs into neural lineages, making them potential candidates for treating neurological disorders like spinal cord injury.
