Mild hypothermia enhances regenerative gene expression in late-stage neural precursors

The present study investigated the effects of temperature modulation on neural precursors at various developmental stages. A well-proven neural stem cell model was employed and cells were exposed to hypothermia (32, 30 and 28˚C) and hyperthermia (39˚C) for periods of time. While deviations from the physiological temperature (37˚C) affected cell survival and generally reduced cell numbers, a distinct response was observed in late-stage precursors (day 14). Mild hypothermia (32˚C) at this stage preserved cell viability and increased the expression of Nestin, a marker of immature neuronal cells, while decreasing expression of the Map2, a marker of mature neurons. These combined findings suggest a potential dedifferentiation process and an enhanced regenerative capacity. Additionally, the levels of genes associated with cell adhesion, migration and differentiation (Ncam1 and Itgb1) were upregulated by mild hypothermia at day 14. On the whole, these findings highlight the differential response of neural precursors to temperature and suggest that hypothermia timing may be crucial for optimizing therapeutic strategies in neonatal brain injury.