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bHLH transcription factors Hes1, Ascl1 and Oligo2 exhibit different expression patterns in the process of physiological electric fields-induced neuronal differentiation

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Abstract

Background

Recent studies have shown that the expression of bHLH transcription factors Hes1, Ascl1, and Oligo2 has an oscillating balance in neural stem cells (NSCs) to maintain their self-proliferation and multi-directional differentiation potential. This balance can be disrupted by exogenous stimulation. Our previous work has identified that electrical stimulation could induce neuronal differentiation of mouse NSCs.

Methods

To further evaluate if physiological electric fields (EFs)-induced neuronal differentiation is related to the expression patterns of bHLH transcription factors Hes1, Ascl1, and Oligo2, mouse embryonic brain NSCs were used to investigate the expression changes of Ascl1, Hes1 and Oligo2 in mRNA and protein levels during EF-induced neuronal differentiation.

Results

Our results showed that NSCs expressed high level of Hes1, while expression of Ascl1 and Oligo2 stayed at very low levels. When NSCs exited proliferation, the expression of Hes1 in differentiated cells began to decrease and oscillated at the low expression level. Oligo2 showed irregular changes in low expression level. EF-stimulation significantly increased the expression of Ascl1 at mRNA and protein levels accompanied by an increased percentage of neuronal differentiation. What’s more, over-expression of Hes1 inhibited the neuronal differentiation induced by EFs.

Conclusion

EF-stimulation directed neuronal differentiation of NSCs by promoting the continuous accumulation of Ascl1 expression and decreasing the expression of Hes1.

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Funding

This research was funded by The National Science Foundation of China, Grant Number 31371004.

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Author notes

  1. Zhe Li and Hai Li have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Histology & Embryology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People’s Republic of China

    Zhe Li, Hai Li, Xiyao Yu, Jiaying Zhou, Zhi Yong Dong & Xiaoting Meng

  2. Department of Radiology, The First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, People’s Republic of China

    Hai Li

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  1. Zhe Li
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  2. Hai Li
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  3. Xiyao Yu
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  4. Jiaying Zhou
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  5. Zhi Yong Dong
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Contributions

Conceptualization, XM and ZD; experimental operation and analysis: ZL, HL and XY; writing-original draft preparation, ZL and HL; computer graphics, JZ; supervision, XM; funding acquisition, XM. ZL and HL contributed equally as first authors. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xiaoting Meng.

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Li, Z., Li, H., Yu, X. et al. bHLH transcription factors Hes1, Ascl1 and Oligo2 exhibit different expression patterns in the process of physiological electric fields-induced neuronal differentiation. Mol Biol Rep 51, 115 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-023-09118-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-023-09118-5

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