SULPHORAPHANE INDUCED ALTERATIONS IN NEURAL PROGENITOR CELL PROLIFERATION WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS ON DIFFERENTIATION

Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) have the capacity for self-renewal and for generating multiple cell types that are essential for the maintenance and repair of brain tissue. Sulforaphane (SF), an antioxidant derived from cruciferous vegetables, has the potential to modulate cellular pathways, however, its effects on proliferation in NPCs remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different SF concentration and times of treatments on the proliferation of NPCs which were isolated from the hippocampus of C57BL-6 neonatal mouse (Ethics 3952300622), expanded, dissociated, and plated in proliferative medium. For proliferation assay, cells were treated with SF (0,025 to 15 µM) or vehicle (PBS) on the sixth day in vitro (DIV) 6; intermittent treatment every 2 days (DIV1, 3, 5, and 7); and intermittent treatment every 3 days (DIV1, 4, and 7). Differentiation was assessed by immunofluorescence using DAPI, and TUJ1 antibodies. In the single treatment, SF concentration significantly reduced neurosphere proliferation (number and diameter) in the concentrations above 1 µM. The intermittent treatment every 2 days, SF significantly reduced the number of neurospheres at concentrations of 0.25 µM and 0.5 µM. The diameter of the neurospheres was reduced considerably at concentrations of 0.05; 0.1; 0.25, and 0.5 µM. In the intermittent treatment every 3 days, only the 0,5 µM concentration significantly reduced neurosphere diameter. Neuronal differentiation showed no significant differences between groups. These data suggest that SF treatment parameters could influence neural progenitor cell proliferation, highlighting the importance of carefully defining concentration and exposure time in NPC studies.