Title:Regulation of Neurogenesis and Neuronal Differentiation by Natural
Compounds
Volume: 17
Issue: 8
Author(s): Jing An, Bo Chen*, Ding Tian, Yunshan Guo, Yuzhu Yan and Hao Yang*
Affiliation:
- Translational Medicine Centre, Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
- Translational Medicine Centre, Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
Keywords:
Natural compounds, neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, neurite outgrowth, neural stem/progenitor cells, neuronal cells, mesenchymal stem cells.
Abstract: Neuronal damage or degeneration is the main feature of neurological diseases. Regulation
of neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation is important in developing therapies to promote
neuronal regeneration or synaptic network reconstruction. Neurogenesis is a multistage
process in which neurons are generated and integrated into existing neuronal circuits. Neuronal
differentiation is extremely complex because it can occur in different cell types and can be
caused by a variety of inducers. Recently, natural compounds that induce neurogenesis and neuronal
differentiation have attracted extensive attention. In this paper, the potential neural induction
effects of medicinal plant-derived natural compounds on neural stem/progenitor cells
(NS/PCs), the cultured neuronal cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are reviewed. The
natural compounds that are efficacious in inducing neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation include
phenolic acids, polyphenols, flavonoids, glucosides, alkaloids, terpenoids, quinones, coumarins,
and others. They exert neural induction effects by regulating signal factors and cellspecific
genes involved in the process of neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation, including
specific proteins (β-tubulin III, MAP-2, tau, nestin, neurofilaments, GFAP, GAP-43, NSE), related
genes and proteins (STAT3, Hes1, Mash1, NeuroD1, notch, cyclin D1, SIRT1, Reggie-1),
transcription factors (CREB, Nkx-2.5, Ngn1), neurotrophins (BDNF, NGF, NT-3), and signaling
pathways (JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-catenin, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, GSK-3β/β-catenin,
Ca2+/CaMKII/ATF1, Nrf2/HO-1, BMP).The natural compounds with neural induction effects are
of great value for neuronal regenerative medicine and provide promising prevention and treatment
strategies for neurological diseases.