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Cherkashova E, Namestnikova D, Leonov G, Gubskiy I, Sukhinich K, Melnikov P, Chekhonin V, Yarygin K, Goldshtein D, Salikhova D. Comparative study of the efficacy of intra-arterial and intravenous transplantation of human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived neural progenitor cells in experimental stroke. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16358. [PMID: 38025691 PMCID: PMC10640846 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cell therapy using neural progenitor cells (NPCs) is a promising approach for ischemic stroke treatment according to the results of multiple preclinical studies in animal stroke models. In the vast majority of conducted animal studies, the therapeutic efficacy of NPCs was estimated after intracerebral transplantation, while the information of the effectiveness of systemic administration is limited. Nowadays, several clinical trials aimed to estimate the safety and efficacy of NPCs transplantation in stroke patients were also conducted. In these studies, NPCs were transplanted intracerebrally in the subacute/chronic phase of stroke. The results of clinical trials confirmed the safety of the approach, however, the degree of functional improvement (the primary efficacy endpoint) was not sufficient in the majority of the studies. Therefore, more studies are needed in order to investigate the optimal transplantation parameters, especially the timing of cell transplantation after the stroke onset. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of intra-arterial (IA) and intravenous (IV) administration of NPCs derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iNPCs) in the acute phase of experimental stroke in rats. Induced pluripotent stem cells were chosen as the source of NPCs as this technology is perspective, has no ethical concerns and provides the access to personalized medicine. Methods Human iNPCs were transplanted IA or IV into male Wistar rats 24 h after the middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke modeling. Therapeutic efficacy was monitored for 14 days and evaluated in comparison with the cell transplantation-free control group. Additionally, cell distribution in the brain was assessed. Results The obtained results show that both routes of systemic transplantation (IV and IA) significantly reduced the mortality and improved the neurological deficit of experimental animals compared to the control group. At the same time, according to the MRI data, only IA administration led to faster and prominent reduction of the stroke volume. After IA administration, iNPCs transiently trapped in the brain and were not detected on day 7 after the transplantation. In case of IV injection, transplanted cells were not visualized in the brain. The obtained data demonstrated that the systemic transplantation of human iNPCs in the acute phase of ischemic stroke can be a promising therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Cherkashova
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Daria Namestnikova
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Georgiy Leonov
- Orekhovich Research Institute of Biomedical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Ilya Gubskiy
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Kirill Sukhinich
- Orekhovich Research Institute of Biomedical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Pavel Melnikov
- Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre of Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir Chekhonin
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre of Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Konstantin Yarygin
- Orekhovich Research Institute of Biomedical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation
- Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | | | - Diana Salikhova
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Medical Institute, RUDN University, Moscow, Russian Federation
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Kim H, Jang EJ, Sankpal NV, Patel M, Patel R. Recent Development of Brain Organoids for Biomedical Application. Macromol Biosci 2023; 23:e2200346. [PMID: 36469016 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202200346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Over the years, scientists have studied the behavior and anatomy of many animals to understand the own species. However, despite the continuous efforts, it is often difficult to know for certain how the brain works due to the differences between the brains of animals and the human brain. While the use of animal models for research continues, the origin of human cognition and neurological disorders needs further elucidation. To that end, in vitro organoids that exhibit in vivo characteristics of the human brain have been recently developed. These brain-like organoids enable researchers to dive deeper into understanding the human brain, its neurological structures, and the causes of neurological pathologies. This paper reviews the recent developments in the regeneration of brain-like organoids using Matrigel and other alternatives. Further, gel-free methods that may enhance the regeneration process of organoids are discussed. Finally, the vascularized brain organoid growth and development in both in vitro and in vivo conditions are detailed.
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Affiliation(s)
- HanSol Kim
- Bio-Convergence (BC), Integrated Science and Engineering Division (ISED), Underwood International College, Yonsei University, 85 Songdogwahak-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Eun Jo Jang
- Nano Science and Engineering, Integrated Science and Engineering Division (ISED), Underwood International College, Yonsei University, Songdogwahak-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, 21983, South Korea
| | - Narendra V Sankpal
- Norton Thoracic Institute St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Madhumita Patel
- Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ewha Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03760, South Korea
| | - Rajkumar Patel
- Energy & Environmental Science and Engineering (EESE), Integrated Science and Engineering Division (ISED), Underwood International College, Yonsei University, 85 Songdogwahak-ro, Yeonsugu, Incheon, 21938, South Korea
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3
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Zhao T, Zhu T, Xie L, Li Y, Xie R, Xu F, Tang H, Zhu J. Neural Stem Cells Therapy for Ischemic Stroke: Progress and Challenges. Transl Stroke Res 2022; 13:665-675. [PMID: 35032307 DOI: 10.1007/s12975-022-00984-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke, with its high morbidity and mortality, is the most common cerebrovascular accident and results in severe neurological deficits. Despite advances in medical and surgical intervention, post-stroke therapies remain scarce, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Over the past decades, stem cell transplantation has been recognized as very promising therapy for neurological diseases. Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation is the optimal choice for ischemic stroke as NSCs inherently reside in the brain and can potentially differentiate into a variety of cell types within the central nervous system. Recent research has demonstrated that NSC transplantation can facilitate neural recovery after ischemic stroke, but the mechanisms still remain unclear, and basic/clinical studies of NSC transplantation for ischemic stroke have not yet been thoroughly elucidated. We thus, in this review, provide a futher understanding of the therapeutic role of NSCs for ischemic stroke, and evaluate their prospects for future application in clinical patients of ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China
| | - Tongming Zhu
- Fudan University Huashan Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Key Laboratory for Medical Neurobiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Regeneration, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College-Fudan University, No.12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Liqian Xie
- Fudan University Huashan Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Key Laboratory for Medical Neurobiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Regeneration, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College-Fudan University, No.12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Yao Li
- Med-X Research Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Rong Xie
- Fudan University Huashan Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Key Laboratory for Medical Neurobiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Regeneration, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College-Fudan University, No.12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Fudan University Huashan Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Key Laboratory for Medical Neurobiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Regeneration, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College-Fudan University, No.12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| | - Hailiang Tang
- Fudan University Huashan Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Key Laboratory for Medical Neurobiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Regeneration, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College-Fudan University, No.12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| | - Jianhong Zhu
- Fudan University Huashan Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, National Center for Neurological Disorders, National Key Laboratory for Medical Neurobiology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Regeneration, Institutes of Brain Science, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Shanghai Medical College-Fudan University, No.12 Middle Wulumuqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
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4
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Re-directing nanomedicines to the spleen: A potential technology for peripheral immunomodulation. J Control Release 2022; 350:60-79. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Conversion of Human Fibroblasts into Induced Neural Stem Cells by Small Molecules. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031740. [PMID: 35163660 PMCID: PMC8835839 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) reprogrammed from somatic cells hold great potentials for drug discovery, disease modelling and the treatment of neurological diseases. Although studies have shown that human somatic cells can be converted into iNSCs by introducing transcription factors, these iNSCs are unlikely to be used for clinical application due to the safety concern of using exogenous genes and viral transduction vectors. Here, we report the successful conversion of human fibroblasts into iNSCs using a cocktail of small molecules. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that these human iNSCs (hiNSCs) have similar gene expression profiles to bona fide NSCs, can proliferate, and are capable of differentiating into glial cells and functional neurons. This study collectively describes a novel approach based on small molecules to produce hiNSCs from human fibroblasts, which may be useful for both research and therapeutic purposes.
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6
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Genet N, Hirschi KK. Understanding neural stem cell regulation in vivo and applying the insights to cell therapy for strokes. Regen Med 2021; 16:861-870. [PMID: 34498495 PMCID: PMC8656322 DOI: 10.2217/rme-2021-0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of neural stem cell (NSC) therapy for the treatment of stroke patients is successfully paving its way into advanced phases of large-scale clinical trials. To understand how to optimize NSC therapeutic approaches, it is fundamental to decipher the crosstalk between NSC and other cells that comprise the NSC microenvironment (niche) and regulate their function, in vivo; namely, the endothelial cells of the microvasculature. In this mini review, we first provide a concise summary of preclinical findings describing the signaling mechanisms between NSC and vascular endothelial cells and vice versa. Second, we describe the progress made in the development of NSC therapy for the treatment of strokes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafiisha Genet
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.,Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Karen K Hirschi
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.,Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.,Department of Medicine, Yale Cardiovascular Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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Namestnikova DD, Gubskiy IL, Revkova VA, Sukhinich KK, Melnikov PA, Gabashvili AN, Cherkashova EA, Vishnevskiy DA, Kurilo VV, Burunova VV, Semkina AS, Abakumov MA, Gubsky LV, Chekhonin VP, Ahlfors JE, Baklaushev VP, Yarygin KN. Intra-Arterial Stem Cell Transplantation in Experimental Stroke in Rats: Real-Time MR Visualization of Transplanted Cells Starting With Their First Pass Through the Brain With Regard to the Therapeutic Action. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:641970. [PMID: 33737862 PMCID: PMC7960930 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.641970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell therapy is an emerging approach to stroke treatment with a potential to limit brain damage and enhance its restoration after the acute phase of the disease. In this study we tested directly reprogrammed neural precursor cells (drNPC) derived from adult human bone marrow cells in the rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of acute ischemic stroke using human placenta mesenchymal stem cells (pMSC) as a positive control with previously confirmed efficacy. Cells were infused into the ipsilateral (right) internal carotid artery of male Wistar rats 24 h after MCAO. The main goal of this work was to evaluate real-time distribution and subsequent homing of transplanted cells in the brain. This was achieved by performing intra-arterial infusion directly inside the MRI scanner and allowed transplanted cells tracing starting from their first pass through the brain vessels. Immediately after transplantation, cells were observed in the periphery of the infarct zone and in the brain stem, 15 min later small numbers of cells could be discovered deep in the infarct core and in the contralateral hemisphere, where drNPC were seen earlier and in greater numbers than pMSC. Transplanted cells in both groups could no longer be detected in the rat brain 48-72 h after infusion. Histological and histochemical analysis demonstrated that both the drNPC and pMSC were localized inside blood vessels in close contact with the vascular wall. No passage of labeled cells through the blood brain barrier was observed. Additionally, the therapeutic effects of drNPC and pMSC were compared. Both drNPC and pMSC induced substantial attenuation of neurological deficits evaluated at the 7th and 14th day after transplantation using the modified neurological severity score (mNSS). Some of the effects of drNPC and pMSC, such as the influence on the infarct volume and the survival rate of animals, differed. The results suggest a paracrine mechanism of the positive therapeutic effects of IA drNPC and pMSC infusion, potentially enhanced by the cell-cell interactions. Our data also indicate that the long-term homing of transplanted cells in the brain is not necessary for the brain's functional recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria D. Namestnikova
- Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Radiology and Clinical Physiology Scientific Research Center, Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ilya L. Gubskiy
- Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Radiology and Clinical Physiology Scientific Research Center, Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Veronica A. Revkova
- Cell Technology Laboratory, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kirill K. Sukhinich
- Laboratory of Problems of Regeneration, Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Pavel A. Melnikov
- Cell Technology Laboratory, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre of Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna N. Gabashvili
- Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials, National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elvira A. Cherkashova
- Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Radiology and Clinical Physiology Scientific Research Center, Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Daniil A. Vishnevskiy
- Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Victoria V. Kurilo
- Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Veronica V. Burunova
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alevtina S. Semkina
- Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials, National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maxim A. Abakumov
- Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials, National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Moscow, Russia
| | - Leonid V. Gubsky
- Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Radiology and Clinical Physiology Scientific Research Center, Federal Center of Brain Research and Neurotechnologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir P. Chekhonin
- Department of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Medical Genetics, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, Serbsky Federal Medical Research Centre of Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Vladimir P. Baklaushev
- Cell Technology Laboratory, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin N. Yarygin
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
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Combined Cell Therapy in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8120613. [PMID: 33333803 PMCID: PMC7765161 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8120613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell therapy of neurological diseases is gaining momentum. Various types of stem/progenitor cells and their derivatives have shown positive therapeutic results in animal models of neurological disorders and in clinical trials. Each tested cell type proved to have its advantages and flaws and unique cellular and molecular mechanism of action, prompting the idea to test combined transplantation of two or more types of cells (combined cell therapy). This review summarizes the results of combined cell therapy of neurological pathologies reported up to this point. The number of papers describing experimental studies or clinical trials addressing this subject is still limited. However, its successful application to the treatment of neurological pathologies including stroke, spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and retinal degeneration has been reported in both experimental and clinical studies. The advantages of combined cell therapy can be realized by simple summation of beneficial effects of different cells. Alternatively, one kind of cells can support the survival and functioning of the other by enhancing the formation of optimum environment or immunomodulation. No significant adverse events were reported. Combined cell therapy is a promising approach for the treatment of neurological disorders, but further research needs to be conducted.
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Ottoboni L, von Wunster B, Martino G. Therapeutic Plasticity of Neural Stem Cells. Front Neurol 2020; 11:148. [PMID: 32265815 PMCID: PMC7100551 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) have garnered significant scientific and commercial interest in the last 15 years. Given their plasticity, defined as the ability to develop into different phenotypes inside and outside of the nervous system, with a capacity of almost unlimited self-renewal, of releasing trophic and immunomodulatory factors, and of exploiting temporal and spatial dynamics, NSCs have been proposed for (i) neurotoxicity testing; (ii) cellular therapies to treat CNS diseases; (iii) neural tissue engineering and repair; (iv) drug target validation and testing; (v) personalized medicine. Moreover, given the growing interest in developing cell-based therapies to target neurodegenerative diseases, recent progress in developing NSCs from human-induced pluripotent stem cells has produced an analog of endogenous NSCs. Herein, we will review the current understanding on emerging conceptual and technological topics in the neural stem cell field, such as deep characterization of the human compartment, single-cell spatial-temporal dynamics, reprogramming from somatic cells, and NSC manipulation and monitoring. Together, these aspects contribute to further disentangling NSC plasticity to better exploit the potential of those cells, which, in the future, might offer new strategies for brain therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Ottoboni
- Neurology and Neuroimmunology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Gianvito Martino
- Neurology and Neuroimmunology Unit, Institute of Experimental Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.,Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, School of Medicine, Milan, Italy
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10
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Liu D, Rychkov G, Al-Hawwas M, Manaph NPA, Zhou F, Bobrovskaya L, Liao H, Zhou XF. Conversion of human urine-derived cells into neuron-like cells by small molecules. Mol Biol Rep 2020; 47:2713-2722. [PMID: 32185687 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-020-05370-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Neural cell transplantation is an effective way for treatment of neurological diseases. However, the absence of transplantable human neurons remains a barrier for clinical therapies. Human urine-derived cells, namely renal cells and urine stem cells, have become a good source of cells for reprogramming or trans-differentiation research. Here, we show that human urine-derived cells can be partially converted into neuron-like cells by applying a cocktail of small molecules. Gene expression analysis has shown that these induced cells expressed some neuron-specific genes, and a proportion of the cells are GABAergic neurons. Moreover, whole-cell patch clamping recording has shown that some induced cells have neuron-specific voltage gated Na+ and K+ currents but have failed to generate Ca2+ currents and action potentials. Taken together, these results suggest that induced neuronal cells from human urine-derived cells may be useful for neurological disease modelling, drug screening and cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghui Liu
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang Street, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Grigori Rychkov
- Discipline of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Mohammed Al-Hawwas
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | | | - Fiona Zhou
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- Discipline of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
- South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Larisa Bobrovskaya
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Hong Liao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang Street, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Xin-Fu Zhou
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
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Sandvig A, Sandvig I. Connectomics of Morphogenetically Engineered Neurons as a Predictor of Functional Integration in the Ischemic Brain. Front Neurol 2019; 10:630. [PMID: 31249553 PMCID: PMC6582372 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in cell reprogramming technologies enable the in vitro generation of theoretically unlimited numbers of cells, including cells of neural lineage and specific neuronal subtypes from human, including patient-specific, somatic cells. Similarly, as demonstrated in recent animal studies, by applying morphogenetic neuroengineering principles in situ, it is possible to reprogram resident brain cells to the desired phenotype. These developments open new exciting possibilities for cell replacement therapy in stroke, albeit not without caveats. Main challenges include the successful integration of engineered cells in the ischemic brain to promote functional restoration as well as the fact that the underlying mechanisms of action are not fully understood. In this review, we aim to provide new insights to the above in the context of connectomics of morphogenetically engineered neural networks. Specifically, we discuss the relevance of combining advanced interdisciplinary approaches to: validate the functionality of engineered neurons by studying their self-organizing behavior into neural networks as well as responses to stroke-related pathology in vitro; derive structural and functional connectomes from these networks in healthy and perturbed conditions; and identify and extract key elements regulating neural network dynamics, which might predict the behavior of grafted engineered neurons post-transplantation in the stroke-injured brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Sandvig
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neurology, St. Olav's Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences, Division of Neuro, Head, and Neck, Umeå University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Ioanna Sandvig
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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