Salidroside via ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway induces mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells differentiation into neural cells

To investigate the role of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and PI3K/AKT/ mTOR signal pathway inducing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) differentiation into neural cells, mouse bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell lines D1 cells were used as research object.  And they were divided into control groups and salidroside (SD) groups.  Different concentrations (5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 μg·mL⁻¹) of SD were used and SD (100 μg·mL⁻¹) was used to induce at different time (0.5, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h).  The immunofluorescence staining chemical technology, real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the positive rates of NSE, MAP2, β-Tubulin III, NES, GFAP and the expression levels of β-Tubulin III, NSE, ERK1/2, AKT.  The expression of ERK1/2 and NSE was detected when the ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT/ mTOR signal pathway was blocked by PD98059 and LY294002.  It indicated that the positive rates of NSE, MAP2, β-Tubulin III, NES and GFAP were gradually enhanced with time increased.  The expression level of NSE and β-Tubulin III protein were significantly higher than those in control groups (P < 0.01).  The expression of ERK1/2, AKT mRNA and protein were higher with concentration and time increased.  When the ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway were blocked, the expression levels of NSE, NES and β-Tubulin III mRNA and NSE protein were inhibited significantly.  It points out that SD can stimulate the ERK1/2 and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathway to promote BMSCs differentiation into neural cells.