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Updated: Feb 7, 2026
08:34
An Engineered Split-TET2 Enzyme for Chemical-inducible DNA Hydroxymethylation and Epigenetic Remodeling
Published on: December 18, 2017
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Vitamin C Promotes Astrocyte Differentiation Through DNA Hydroxymethylation
Jong-Hwan Kim1,2, Mirang Kim1,3, Xi-Biao He4
1Department of Functional Genomics, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, South Korea.
Stem Cells (Dayton, Ohio)
|July 14, 2018
Summary
Vitamin C (VC) promotes neural stem cell differentiation into astrocytes. This process involves DNA hydroxymethylation and the activation of key transcription factors like NFI and STAT3, crucial for brain development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Previous research indicated Vitamin C (VC) promotes neural stem/precursor cell (NSC) differentiation into dopamine (DA) neurons.
- The precise mechanisms by which VC influences NSC differentiation require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the comprehensive effects of VC on NSC differentiation.
- To profile the transcriptome and epigenome (DNA methylome/hydroxymethylome) of NSCs treated with VC.
Main Methods:
- High-throughput sequencing was employed to analyze transcriptome and DNA methylome/hydroxymethylome.
- RNA sequencing identified upregulated astrocytic genes.
- Genome-wide hydroxymethylome analysis pinpointed enriched 5-hydroxymethyl cytosine (5hmC) regions.
Main Results:
- VC treatment upregulated astrocytic genes (Gfap, Slc1a3, S100a16) and increased GFAP+ astrocyte yields.
- VC induced genome-wide enrichment of 5hmC near nuclear factor I (NFI) binding motifs.
- VC enhanced the recruitment of NFI and STAT3 transcription factors to 5hmC-enriched regions of astrocyte-specific genes.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin C promotes astrocytic differentiation from neural stem cells.
- VC-induced astrogenesis is mediated by DNA hydroxymethylation and transcription factor recruitment (NFI, STAT3).
- These findings highlight VC's significant role in astrocytogenesis during brain development.
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