Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2014, Vol. 9 ›› Issue (8): 845-850.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.131601

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Citalopram increases the differentiation efficacy of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into neuronal-like cells

Javad Verdi  1, 2, Seyed Abdolreza Mortazavi-Tabatabaei 1, 2, Shiva Sharif  2,  3, Hadi Verdi 2, Alireza Shoae-Hassani 1, 2   

  1. 1 Department of Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
    2 Department of Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Research Center for Science and Technology in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
    3 Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Received:2014-03-14 Online:2014-04-25 Published:2014-04-25
  • Contact: Alireza Shoae-Hassani , Italia St., Vesal Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tohid Sq, Chamran Highway, Tehran 14185-615, Iran, cell.therapy@yahoo.com.
  • Supported by:

    This work was funded by the Research Center for Science and Technology in Medicine (RCSTiM), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (TUMS), Tehran, Iran.

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Abstract:

Several studies have demonstrated that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants can promote neuronal cell proliferation and enhance neuroplasticity both in vitro and in vivo. It is hypothesized that citalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, can promote the neuronal differentiation of adult bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Citalopram strongly enhanced neuronal characteristics of the cells derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. The rate of cell death was decreased in citalopram-treated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells than in control cells in neurobasal medium. In addition, the cumulative population doubling level of the citalopram-treated cells was significantly increased compared to that of control cells. Also BrdU incorporation was elevated in citalopram-treated cells. These findings suggest that citalopram can improve the neuronal-like cell differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by increasing cell proliferation and survival while maintaining their neuronal characteristics.

Key words: nerve regeneration, citalopram, stem cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, survival, proliferation, differentiation, neurons, neural regeneration