Treatment with quercetin increases Nrf2 expression and neuronal differentiation of SVZ-derived NPSCs.

Abstract

Abstract The presence of neural precursor stem cells (NPSCs) in some parts of the adult brain has been proven in recent years, and it has opened up a new approach for the treatment and recovery of the defects and diseases associated with the central nervous system (CNS). Besides, the potency of these types of cells with a therapeutic viewpoint is another beneficial facet of the application of NPSCs in cell biology. Quercetin, as an herbal flavonoid, has been extensively investigated and shown to have numerous restoratives, inhibitory, and protective effects on some cell-lines and disorders. In this research, we aimed to investigate the impact of quercetin, on expression of Nrf2 gene as one of the antioxidant pathway and proliferation and differentiation of NSCs derived from the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult brains of rats. The brains of adult rats were dissected, and the two SVZs of the brain of each animal were removed. The obtained cell suspension was cultured for one week to achieve neurospheres. When the cells reached, quercetin was treated with the cultured cells at the concentrations of 1, 5, and 15 µM to evaluate the impact of this substance on the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs after one week. Cell identification was performed by RT- PCR, survival test with MTT assay, quantification of images with Image-J and cells were counted. The results indicated that the quercetin increases expression of Nrf2 at concentration above 5 µM. Also differentiation and proliferation rate of NSCs is affected by various concentrations of quercetin in a dose-dependent manner so that 1µM quercetin had the least, and 15 µM quercetin showed the most effects on cell differentiation. However, 1 µM quercetin exhibited no significant cell toxicity, but the most antiproliferative potential showed when treated with 15 µM concentration quercetin. These findings confirm previous information on the dose-dependent effect of quercetin on proliferation and differentiation of cell.