4.6. Cholinergic Neuron Differentiation
A cholinergic neuron is a nerve cell that sends signals primarily via acetylcholine (ACh). Cholinergic neurons, which primarily use the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Ach) for message transmission, play a crucial role in memory, locomotion, and behavioral response
[130,131][90][91]. Cholinergic neuron loss causes a decline in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) function, which causes motor nerve degeneration and cognitive dysfunction, as seen in AD
[132,133][92][93]. A new treatment for cholinergic neuron loss is yet to be found, despite the use of cell-based therapies and nerve transplants to treat a variety of neurological disorders
[134][94]. Several stem-cell-based therapies, including motor nerve disorders and Alzheimer′s disease, have recently been proposed as experimental therapies to alleviate the pathophysiology of cholinergic nerve disorders
[134,135][94][95]. The tricyclodecane-9-yl-xanthogenate (D609) neuronal induction approach was used to successfully differentiate hDPSCs-cryo into cholinergic neurons (DF-chN)
[136][96]. Motor nerve regeneration on an unprecedented scale was observed when DF-chN was inserted in vivo into experimental rats with sciatic nerve defects
[136][96]. The simple inhibitor of phosphatidylcholine-specific C phospholipase, D609, has previously been shown to distinguish bone marrow MSCs (BMSCs) from neuron-like cells
[137][97]. In BMSCs, D609 induces neuron-like cells with cholinergic neuronal properties; however, the mechanism underlying D609 neurogenic induction is unknown
[138][98]. There is another belief that the treatment of D609 in BMSCs blocks PC-PLC activity, while elevated levels of HSP70 trigger the activation of transcription regulator B-cell translocation gene 2 (BTG2), resulting in cholinergic neuronal differentiation based on the number of responsive neuronal-specific genes
[139][99].
D609 therapy has also been shown to reduce mesodermal and endodermal differentiation gene expression while increasing neuroprotection, neuronal differentiation, and cholesterol synthesis gene expression
[136][96]. The formation and maintenance of the myelin sheath require cholesterol. In addition, differentiated cholinergic neuron relocation increases functional neuron regeneration and protection in animals with spinal cord injuries in vivo models. As a result, treating D609 with BMSCs is a quick and easy way to induce a cholinergic neuron induction
[138][98]. According to Soomi Jang et al. (2018), treatment with D609 caused stem cells (derived from cryopreserved dental pulp) to appropriately transform into cholinergic neurons
[138][98]. These cholinergic neurons, differentiated from dental pulp stem cells, had morphological properties similar to those of neurons, such as a neuron body and axonal fiber, as well as positive mRNA and protein expression of cholinergic neuronal markers
[136][96].