Bio-inspired chiral self-assemblies promoted neuronal differentiation of retinal progenitor cells through activation of metabolic pathway
Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: Retinal degeneration is a main class of ocular diseases. So far, retinal progenitor cell (RPC) transplantation has been the most potential therapy for it, in which promoting RPCs neuronal differentiation remains an unmet challenge. To address this issue, innovatively designed L/d-phenylalanine based chiral nanofibers (LPG and DPG) are employed and it finds that chirality of fibers can efficiently regulate RPCs differentiation. qPCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence analysis show that right-handed helical DPG nanofibers significantly promote RPCs neuronal differentiation, whereas left-handed LPG nanofibers decrease this effect. These effects are mainly ascribed to the stereoselective interaction between chiral helical nanofibers and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4, a key protein in the retinoic acid (RA) metabolic pathway). The findings of chirality-dependent neuronal differentiation provide new strategies for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases via optimizing differentiation of transplanted stem cells on chiral nanofibers.
Source: Bioactive Materials
Authors: Na Sun, Xiaoqiu Dou, Zhimin Tang, Dandan Zhang, Ni Ni, Jiajing Wang, Huiqin Gao, Yahan Ju, Xiaochan Dai, Changli Zhao, Ping Gu, Jing Ji, Chuanliang Feng
Language: English
Subfield: Biomaterials
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $630
Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Science and Technology Innovation Plan Of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission
OpenAlex ID: W3092239286