The Significance of the Neuregulin-1/Erbb Signaling Pathway and Its Effect on Sox10 Expression in the Development of Terminally Differentiated Schwann Cells in Vitro

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the significance of the neuregulin-1/ErbB signaling pathway and its effect on Sox10 expression in the course of the differentiation of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into Schwann-like cellsin vitro. Materials and methods The experiment was conducted with three groups-control, TAK 165, and HRG-off. In the control group, we used the classical induction method of adding beta-ME, RA, FSK, b-FGF, PDGF, and neuregulin (HRG); the cells were collected on the 7(th)day. Using the same basic protocol as the control group, the specific ErbB2 inhibitor mubritinib (TAK 165) was added to block the neuregulin-1/ErbB pathway in the TAK 165 group, while HRG was not added in the HRG-off group. We detected the degree of differentiation of stem cells into Schwann-like cells by using RT-PCR to examine the expression of Sox10, NRG-1, ErbB2, ErbB3, and ErbB4 and by using immunofluorescence staining to examine the Schwann cell marker S100B, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and P75. Results Our results showed that the proliferation of Schwann cells was reduced and apoptosis was increased in the TAK 165 group and the HRG-off group. Sox10 was stably expressed and NRG-1, ErbB2, and ErbB3 increased in the control group. However, the expression of Sox10 in the TAK 165 group was obviously decreased at the end of induced differentiation; meanwhile, the degree of stem cell differentiation also decreased. Conclusions the neuregulin-1/ErbB signaling pathway plays an important role in the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into Schwann-like cells and can promote the maintenance of Sox10 (sic)(sic).