Transdifferentiation of bone marrow stromal cells into Schwann cell phenotype using progesterone as inducer

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were reported to transdifferentiate into Schwann cells by a two-stage protocol, using beta-mercaptoethanol and retinoic acid (BME-RA) as preinducers (preinduction stage: PS) and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), forskolin (FSK) and heregulin (HRG) as inducers (induction stage: IS). In this study, six groups were used, group one was used as control (PS: BME-RA; IS: PDGF, bFGF, FSK and HRG). In group 2, the preinducer was similar to group 1, and in the induction stage, progesterone replaced HRG. In groups 3 and 4, the preinducer was progesterone; and at the induction stage, the inducer was similar to groups 1 and 2. Accordingly, in groups 5 and 6, the preinducer was FSK. The immunohistochemical differentiation markers were S-100 and P0, and RT-PCR markers were OCT-4 and P0 at the preinduction stage, while at the induction stage P0 and NeuroD were used. The results of the study showed that S-100 was expressed in the groups after the induction stage, however, P0 was not expressed in any group. There was not any significant difference between the percentage of S100 positive cells in the 1st and 2nd groups. P0 was expressed at the mRNA level in the undifferentiated BMSCs and in the 3rd and 4th groups after the preinduction and the induction stages. The conclusion of this study is that progesterone can induce BMSCs into Schwann cell phenotype.