bHLH transcription factors Hes1, Ascl1 and Oligo2 exhibit different expression patterns in the process of physiological electric fields-induced neuronal differentiation

Abstract Background Recent studies have shown that the expression of bHLH transcription factors Hes1, Ascl1, and Oligo2 has an oscillating balance in neural stem cells (NSCs) to maintain their self-proliferation and multidirectional differentiation potential. This balance can be disrupted by exogenous stimulation. Our previous work has identified that electrical stimulation could induce neuronal differentiation of mouse NSCs. Methods To further evaluate if physiological electric fields (EFs)-induced neuronal differentiation is related to the expression patterns of bHLH transcription factors Hes1, Ascl1, and Oligo2, mouse embryonic brain NSCs were used to investigate the expression changes of Ascl1, Hes1 and Oligo2 in mRNA and protein levels during EF-induced neuronal differentiation. Results Our results showed that NSCs expressed high level of Hes1, while expression of Ascl1 and Oligo2 stayed at very low levels. When NSCs exited proliferation, the expression of Hes1 in differentiated cells began to decrease and oscillated at the low expression level. Oligo2 showed irregular changes in low expression level. EF-stimulation significantly increased the expression of Ascl1 at mRNA and protein levels accompanied by an increased percentage of neuronal differentiation. What’s more, this tendency was increased with the extension of EF-stimulation time and reached the peak at 24h of EF-treatment. Conclusions We conclude here, EF-stimulation directed neuronal differentiation of NSCs by promoting the continuous accumulation of Ascl1 expression and decreasing the expression of Hes1.