Nicotine contributes to the neural stem cells fate against toxicity of microglial-derived factors induced by Aβ via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Recent studies have demonstrated that the molecules secreted from microglias play important roles in the cell fate determination of neural stem cells (NSCs), and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist treatment could reduce neuroinflammation in some neurodegenerative disease models, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is not clear how nicotine plays a neuroprotective role in inflammation-mediated central nervous diseases, and its possible mechanisms in the process remain largely elusive. The aim of this study is to improve the survival microenvironment of NSCs co-cultured with microglias in vitro by weakening inflammation that mediated by accumulation of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ). The viability, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis of NSCs and underlying mechanisms associated with Wnt signaling pathway were investigated. The results showed that Aβ could directly damage NSCs. Furthermore, concomitant to elevated levels of TNF-α, IL-1β derived from microglias, the NSCs had been damaged more se...