Role of ectonucleotidases in embryonic stem cell proliferation and self-renewal

• Grant number: 12/05335-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2012
• End date: April 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Alexander Henning Ulrich
• Grantee: Patrícia Pereira Lopes Martins
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent and self-renewal cells that proliferate indefinitely. The present studies with stem cells showed many advances in cell differentiation area, allowing many innovations for cell therapy. Adenine and its sub-products modulate various cellular processes like proliferation and differentiation, by triggering purinergic receptors. The P1 purinergic receptors (A1, A2a, A2b e A3) are activated by adenosine, and the P2 receptors (P2X, P2Y) are activated by ATP. The concentration levels of ATP in the extracellular media are regulated by some enzymes called ectonucleotidases (alkaline phosphatase, E-NTDPases, E-NPPs e ecto-5'-nucleotidases) and they convert ATP to ADP or AMP, and AMP to ADO. Recent studies in our lab showed the participation of purinergic receptors in the proliferation and neural differentiation of embryonic carcinoma cells. The relationship between purinergic receptors and stem cell differentiation has already been elucidated, however, nothing has been studied related to the proliferation and self-renewal of these cells. Therefore, we will use E14 Tg2a mouse cells to understand better the role of ectonucleotidases in the proliferation and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells.(AU)