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Stieger B, Palme R, Kaiser S, Sachser N, Helene Richter S. When left is right: The effects of paw preference training on behaviour in mice. Behav Brain Res 2022; 430:113929. [PMID: 35595059 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113929] [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: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Spontaneous limb preferences exist in numerous species. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of these preferences, different methods, such as training, have been developed to shift preferences artificially. However, studies that systematically examine the effects of shifting preferences on behaviour and physiology are largely missing. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of shifting paw preferences via training on spontaneous home cage behaviour, as well as anxiety-like behaviour and exploratory locomotion (Elevated plus maze test, Dark light test, Open field test, Free exploration test), learning performance (Labyrinth-maze) and stress hormones (fecal corticosterone metabolites) in laboratory mice (Mus musculus f. domestica). For this, we assessed spontaneous paw preferences of C57BL/6J females (Nambilateral = 23, Nleft = 23, Nright = 25). Subsequently, half of the individuals from each category were trained once a week for four weeks in a food-reaching task to use either their left or right paw, respectively, resulting in six groups: AL, AR, LL, LR, RL, RR. After training, a battery of behavioural tests was performed and spontaneous preferences were assessed again. Our results indicate that most mice were successfully trained and the effect of training was present days after training. However, a significant difference of preferences between RL and LL mice during training suggests a rather low training success of RL mice. Additionally, preferences of L mice differed from those of A and R mice after training, indicating differential long-term effects of training in these groups. Furthermore, left paw training led to higher levels of self-grooming, possibly as a displacement behaviour, and more time spent in the light compartment of the Dark light test. However, overall, there was no systematic influence of training on behavioural measures and stress hormones. Different explanations for this lack of influence, such as the link between training and hemispheric functioning or the intensity and ecological relevance of the training, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binia Stieger
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestr. 13, 48149 Münster, Germany; DFG Research Training Group EvoPAD, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1a, 48149 Münster, Germany.
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestr. 13, 48149 Münster, Germany; DFG Research Training Group EvoPAD, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1a, 48149 Münster, Germany.
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestr. 13, 48149 Münster, Germany; DFG Research Training Group EvoPAD, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1a, 48149 Münster, Germany.
| | - S Helene Richter
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestr. 13, 48149 Münster, Germany; DFG Research Training Group EvoPAD, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1a, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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Berlet R, Galang Cabantan DA, Gonzales-Portillo D, Borlongan CV. Enriched Environment and Exercise Enhance Stem Cell Therapy for Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, and Huntington’s Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:798826. [PMID: 35309929 PMCID: PMC8927702 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.798826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells, specifically embryonic stem cells (ESCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs), and neural progenitor stem cells (NSCs), are a possible treatment for stroke, Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD). Current preclinical data suggest stem cell transplantation is a potential treatment for these chronic conditions that lack effective long-term treatment options. Finding treatments with a wider therapeutic window and harnessing a disease-modifying approach will likely improve clinical outcomes. The overarching concept of stem cell therapy entails the use of immature cells, while key in recapitulating brain development and presents the challenge of young grafted cells forming neural circuitry with the mature host brain cells. To this end, exploring strategies designed to nurture graft-host integration will likely enhance the reconstruction of the elusive neural circuitry. Enriched environment (EE) and exercise facilitate stem cell graft-host reconstruction of neural circuitry. It may involve at least a two-pronged mechanism whereby EE and exercise create a conducive microenvironment in the host brain, allowing the newly transplanted cells to survive, proliferate, and differentiate into neural cells; vice versa, EE and exercise may also train the transplanted immature cells to learn the neurochemical, physiological, and anatomical signals in the brain towards better functional graft-host connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reed Berlet
- Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | | | - Cesar V. Borlongan
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Cesar V. Borlongan,
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Dutcher AM, Truong KV, Miller DD, Allred RP, Nudi E, Jones TA. Training in a cooperative bimanual skilled reaching task, the popcorn retrieval task, improves unimanual function after motor cortical infarcts in rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 396:112900. [PMID: 32941880 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Disuse of the paretic hand after stroke is encouraged by compensatory reliance on the nonparetic hand, to exacerbate impairment and potentially constrain motor rehabilitation efficacy. Rodent stroke model findings support that learning new unimanual skills with the nonparetic forelimb diminishes functional improvements that can be driven by rehabilitative training of the paretic forelimb. The influence of learning new ways of skillfully using the two hands together on paretic side function is much less clear. To begin to explore this, we developed a new cooperative bimanual skilled reaching task for rats, the Popcorn Retrieval Task. After motor cortical infarcts impaired an established unimanual reaching skill in the paretic forelimb, rats underwent a 7 week period of de novo bimanual training (BiT) or no-training control procedures (Cont). Probes of paretic forelimb unimanual performance revealed significant improvements during and after the training period in BiT vs. Cont. We additionally observed a striking change in the bimanual task strategy over training days: a switch from the paretic to the nonparetic forelimb for initiating reach-to-grasp sequences. This motivated another study to test whether rats that established the bimanual skill prior to the infarcts would similarly switch handedness, which they did not, though paretic paw use for manipulative movements diminished. These results indicate that unimanual function of the paretic side can be improved by novel bimanual skill practice, even when it involves compensatory reliance on the nonparetic hand. They further support the suitability of the Popcorn Retrieval Task for studying bimanual skill learning effects in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Evan Nudi
- Psychology Department, United States
| | - Theresa A Jones
- Institute for Neuroscience, United States; Psychology Department, United States.
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4
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Abstract
Novel therapeutic intervention that aims to enhance the endogenous recovery potential of the brain during the subacute phase of stroke has produced promising results. The paradigm shift in treatment approaches presents new challenges to preclinical and clinical researchers alike, especially in the functional endpoints domain. Shortcomings of the "neuroprotection" era of stroke research are yet to be fully addressed. Proportional recovery observed in clinics, and potentially in animal models, requires a thorough reevaluation of the methods used to assess recovery. To this end, this review aims to give a detailed evaluation of functional outcome measures used in clinics and preclinical studies. Impairments observed in clinics and animal models will be discussed from a functional testing perspective. Approaches needed to bridge the gap between clinical and preclinical research, along with potential means to measure the moving target recovery, will be discussed. Concepts such as true recovery of function and compensation and methods that are suitable for distinguishing the two are examined. Often-neglected outcomes of stroke, such as emotional disturbances, are discussed to draw attention to the need for further research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Balkaya
- Burke Neurological Research Institute, White Plains, NY, USA
| | - Sunghee Cho
- Burke Neurological Research Institute, White Plains, NY, USA.,Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine at Burke Neurological Research Institute, White Plains, NY, USA
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5
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Modo M, Badylak SF. A roadmap for promoting endogenous in situ tissue restoration using inductive bioscaffolds after acute brain injury. Brain Res Bull 2019; 150:136-149. [PMID: 31128250 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The regeneration of brain tissue remains one of the greatest unsolved challenges in medicine and by many is considered unfeasible. Indeed, the adult mammalian brain does not regenerate tissue, but there is ongoing endogenous neurogenesis, which is upregulated after injury and contributes to tissue repair. This endogenous repair response is a conditio sine que non for tissue regeneration. However, scarring around the lesion core and cavitation provide unfavorable conditions for tissue regeneration in the brain. Based on the success of using extracellular matrix (ECM)-based bioscaffolds in peripheral soft tissue regeneration, it is plausible that the provision of an inductive ECM-based hydrogel inside the volumetric tissue loss can attract neural cells and create a de novo viable tissue. Following perturbation theory of these successes in peripheral tissues, we here propose 9 perturbation parts (i.e. requirements) that can be solved independently to create an integrated series to build a functional and integrated de novo neural tissue. Necessities for tissue formation, anatomical and functional connectivity are further discussed to provide a new substrate to support the improvement of behavioral impairments after acute brain injury. We also consider potential parallel developments of this tissue engineering effort that can support therapeutic benefits in the absence of de novo tissue formation (e.g. structural support to veterate brain tissue). It is envisaged that eventually top-down inductive "natural" bioscaffolds composed of decellularized tissues (i.e. ECM) will be replaced by bottom-up synthetic designer hydrogels that will provide very defined structural and signaling properties, potentially even opening up opportunities we currently do not envisage using natural materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Modo
- University of Pittsburgh, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; University of Pittsburgh, Department of Radiology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Stephen F Badylak
- University of Pittsburgh, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; University of Pittsburgh, Department of Bioengineering, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; University of Pittsburgh, Department of Surgery, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Abstract
In Huntington's disease (HD), the medium spiny projection neurons of the neostriatum degenerate early in the course of the disease. While genetic mutant models of HD provide an excellent resource for studying the molecular and cellular effects of the inherited polyQ huntingtin mutation, they do not typically present with overt atrophy of the basal ganglia, despite this being a major pathophysiological hallmark of the disease. By contrast, excitotoxic lesion models, which use quinolinic acid to specifically target the striatal projection neurons, are employed to study the functional consequences of striatal atrophy and to investigate potential therapeutic interventions that target the neuronal degeneration. This chapter provides a detailed guide to the generation of excitotoxic lesion models of HD in rats.
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Portis SM, Sanberg PR. Regenerative Rehabilitation: An Innovative and Multifactorial Approach to Recovery From Stroke and Brain Injury. CELL MEDICINE 2017; 9:67-71. [PMID: 28713637 DOI: 10.3727/215517917x693393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
There is currently a dearth of treatment options for stroke or traumatic brain injury that can restore cognitive and motor function. Regenerative and translational medicine have ushered forth promising new methods for mediating recovery in the central nervous system, the most salient of which are rehabilitation and stem cell therapies that, when combined, result in more pronounced recovery than one approach alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M Portis
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Paul R Sanberg
- Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair, Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Repair, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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8
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Abstract
Stroke instigates a dynamic process of repair and remodelling of remaining neural circuits, and this process is shaped by behavioural experiences. The onset of motor disability simultaneously creates a powerful incentive to develop new, compensatory ways of performing daily activities. Compensatory movement strategies that are developed in response to motor impairments can be a dominant force in shaping post-stroke neural remodelling responses and can have mixed effects on functional outcome. The possibility of selectively harnessing the effects of compensatory behaviour on neural reorganization is still an insufficiently explored route for optimizing functional outcome after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa A Jones
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Texas 78712, USA
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9
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Abstract
Over the last decade, neural transplantation has emerged as one of the more promising, albeit highly experimental, potential therapeutics in neurodegenerative disease. Preclinical studies in rat lesion models of Huntington's disease (HD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) have shown that transplanted precursor neuronal tissue from a fetus into the lesioned striatum can survive, integrate, and reconnect circuitry. Importantly, specific training on behavioral tasks that target striatal function is required to encourage functional integration of the graft to the host tissue. Indeed, "learning to use the graft" is a concept recently adopted in preclinical studies to account for unpredicted profiles of recovery posttransplantation and is an emerging strategy for improving graft functionality. Clinical transplant studies in HD and PD have resulted in mixed outcomes. Small sample sizes and nonstandardized experimental procedures from trial to trial may explain some of this variability. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that simply replacing the lost neurons may not be sufficient to ensure the optimal graft effects. The knowledge gained from preclinical grafting and training studies suggests that lifestyle factors, including physical activity and specific cognitive and/or motor training, may be required to drive the functional integration of grafted cells and to facilitate the development of compensatory neural networks. The clear implications of preclinical studies are that physical activity and cognitive training strategies are likely to be crucial components of clinical cell replacement therapies in the future. In this chapter, we evaluate the role of general activity in mediating the physical ability of cells to survive, sprout, and extend processes following transplantation in the adult mammalian brain, and we consider the impact of general and specific activity at the behavioral level on functional integration at the cellular and physiological level. We then highlight specific research questions related to timing, intensity, and specificity of training in preclinical models and synthesize the current state of knowledge in clinical populations to inform the development of a strategy for neural transplantation rehabilitation training.
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Tartaglione AM, Popoli P, Calamandrei G. Regenerative medicine in Huntington's disease: Strengths and weaknesses of preclinical studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 77:32-47. [PMID: 28223129 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by impairment in motor, cognitive and psychiatric domains. Currently, there is no specific therapy to act on the onset or progression of HD. The marked neuronal death observed in HD is a main argument in favour of stem cells (SCs) transplantation as a promising therapeutic perspective to replace the population of lost neurons and restore the functionality of the damaged circuitry. The availability of rodent models of HD encourages the investigation of the restorative potential of SCs transplantation longitudinally. However, the results of preclinical studies on SCs therapy in HD are so far largely inconsistent; this hampers the individuation of the more appropriate model and precludes the comparative analysis of transplant efficacy on behavioural end points. Thus, this review will describe the state of the art of in vivo research on SCs therapy in HD, analysing in a translational perspective the strengths and weaknesses of animal studies investigating the therapeutic potential of cell transplantation on HD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Tartaglione
- Centre for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - P Popoli
- National Centre for Medicines Research and Preclinical/Clinical Evaluation, Rome, Italy
| | - G Calamandrei
- Centre for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
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11
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Lelos MJ, Roberton VH, Vinh NN, Harrison C, Eriksen P, Torres EM, Clinch SP, Rosser AE, Dunnett SB. Direct Comparison of Rat- and Human-Derived Ganglionic Eminence Tissue Grafts on Motor Function. Cell Transplant 2016; 25:665-75. [DOI: 10.3727/096368915x690297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a debilitating, genetically inherited neurodegenerative disorder that results in early loss of medium spiny neurons from the striatum and subsequent degeneration of cortical and other subcortical brain regions. Behavioral changes manifest as a range of motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric impairments. It has been established that replacement of the degenerated medium spiny neurons with rat-derived fetal whole ganglionic eminence (rWGE) tissue can alleviate motor and cognitive deficits in preclinical rodent models of HD. However, clinical application of this cell replacement therapy requires the use of human-derived (hWGE), not rWGE, tissue. Despite this, little is currently known about the functional efficacy of hWGE. The aim of this study was to directly compare the ability of the gold standard rWGE grafts, against the clinically relevant hWGE grafts, on a range of behavioral tests of motor function. Lister hooded rats either remained as unoperated controls or received unilateral excitotoxic lesions of the lateral neostriatum. Subsets of lesioned rats then received transplants of either rWGE or hWGE primary fetal tissue into the lateral striatum. All rats were tested postlesion and postgraft on the following tests of motor function: staircase test, apomorphine-induced rotation, cylinder test, adjusting steps test, and vibrissae-evoked touch test. At 21 weeks postgraft, brain tissue was taken for histological analysis. The results revealed comparable improvements in apomorphine-induced rotational bias and the vibrissae test, despite larger graft volumes in the hWGE cohort. hWGE grafts, but not rWGE grafts, stabilized behavioral performance on the adjusting steps test. These results have implications for clinical application of cell replacement therapies, as well as providing a foundation for the development of stem cell-derived cell therapy products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariah J. Lelos
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Victoria H. Roberton
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Ngoc-Nga Vinh
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Carl Harrison
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Peter Eriksen
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Eduardo M. Torres
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Susanne P. Clinch
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Anne E. Rosser
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Stephen B. Dunnett
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
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12
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Rosser A, Svendsen CN. Stem cells for cell replacement therapy: a therapeutic strategy for HD? Mov Disord 2015; 29:1446-54. [PMID: 25216372 DOI: 10.1002/mds.26026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Revised: 08/20/2014] [Accepted: 08/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Much interest has been expressed over the last couple of decades in the potential application of stem cells to medicine, both for research and diagnostic tools and as a source of donor cells for therapeutic purposes. Potential therapeutic applications include replacement of cells in many body organs where the capacity for intrinsic repair is limited, including the pancreas, heart, and brain. A key challenge is to generate the relevant donor cell types, and this is particularly challenging in the brain where the number of different neuronal subtypes is so great. Although dopamine neuron replacement in Parkinson's disease has been the focus of most clinical studies, great interest has been shown in this approach for other disorders, including Huntington's disease. Replacing complete neural circuits in the adult brain is clearly challenging, and there are many other complexities with regard to both donor cells and host. This article presents the pros and cons of taking a cell therapy approach in Huntington's disease. It considers the implantation both of cells that are already of the same neural subtype as those lost in the disease process (ie, primary fetal cells derived from the developing striatum) and those derived from stem cells, which require "directing" toward that phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Rosser
- Cardiff Brain Repair Group, Schools of Medicine and Biosciences, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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13
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Complex assessment of distinct cognitive impairments following ouabain injection into the rat dorsoloateral striatum. Behav Brain Res 2015; 289:133-40. [PMID: 25845737 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.03.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2014] [Revised: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A stroke in humans may induce focal injury to the brain tissue resulting in various disabilities. Although motor deficits are the most discernible, cognitive impairments seem to be crucial for patients mental well-being. The current lack of effective treatments encourages scientists and clinicians to develop novel approaches. Before applying them in clinic, testing for safety and effectiveness in non-human models is necessary. Such animal model should include significant cognitive impairments resulting from brain lesion. We used ouabain stereotactic injection into the right dorsolateral striatum of male Wistar rats, and enriched environment housing. To confirm the brain injury before cognitive testing, rats were given a beam-walking task to evaluate the level of sensorimotor deficits. To determine the cognitive impairment after focal brain damage, rats underwent a set of selected tasks over an observation period of 30 days. Brain injury induced by ouabain significantly impaired the acquisition of the T-maze habit learning task, where 'win-stay' strategy rules were applied. The injured rats also showed significant deficits in the performance of the T-maze switching task, which involved shifting from multiple clues previously relevant to the only one important clue. Focal brain injury also significantly changed 'what--where' memory, tested in the object exploration task, in which a novel object consecutively appeared in the same place while the location of a familiar item was continuously changed. In conclusion, we developed an animal model of distinct cognitive impairments after focal brain injury that provides a convenient method to test the effectiveness of restorative therapies.
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Zhu M, Shu K, Wang H, Li X, Xiao Q, Chan W, Emmanuel B, Jiang W, Lei T. Microtransplantation of whole ganglionic eminence cells ameliorates motor deficit, enlarges the volume of grafts, and prolongs survival in a rat model of Huntington's disease. J Neurosci Res 2013; 91:1563-71. [PMID: 24105649 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2013] [Revised: 06/23/2013] [Accepted: 07/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mingxin Zhu
- Department of Neurosurgery; Tongji Hospital; Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan China
| | - Kai Shu
- Department of Neurosurgery; Tongji Hospital; Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan China
| | - Heping Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery; Tongji Hospital; Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan China
| | - Xiaopeng Li
- Department of Neurosurgery; Tongji Hospital; Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan China
| | - Qungen Xiao
- Department of Neurosurgery; Tongji Hospital; Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan China
| | - Waipan Chan
- Department of Immunology; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Baltimore Maryland
| | - Bosomah Emmanuel
- Department of Neurosurgery; Tongji Hospital; Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Neurosurgery; Tongji Hospital; Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan China
| | - Ting Lei
- Department of Neurosurgery; Tongji Hospital; Tongji Medical College; Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan China
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15
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Donor age dependent graft development and recovery in a rat model of Huntington's disease: histological and behavioral analysis. Behav Brain Res 2013; 256:56-63. [PMID: 23916743 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.07.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Revised: 07/25/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Neural cell replacement therapy using fetal striatal cells has provided evidence of disease modification in clinical trials in Huntington's disease (HD) patients, although the results have been inconsistent. One of the contributing factors to the variable outcome could be the different capacity of transplanted cells derived from the primordial striatum to proliferate and maturate into striatal projection neurons. Based on the rodent lesion model of HD, the current study investigated how intrastriatal-striatal grafts from variable aged donors develop in vivo and how they influence functional recovery. Young adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were lesioned unilaterally in the dorso-striatum with quinolinic acid (0.12 M) and transplanted 14 days later with single cell suspension grafts equivalent of one whole ganglionic eminence (WGE) from donors of embryonic developmental age E13, E14, or E15; animals with or without striatal lesion served as controls. All animals were tested on the Cylinder and the Corridor tests, as well as on apomorphine-induced rotation at baseline, post-lesion/pre-grafting, and at 6 and 10 weeks post-grafting. A week prior to perfusion, a sub-group in each grafted group received fluorogold injections into the ipsilateral globus pallidus to study graft efferent projections. In summary, the data demonstrates that the age of the embryonic donor tissue has an impact on both the graft mediated functional recovery, and on the in vivo cellular composition of the striatal transplant. E13 tissue grafts gave the best overall outcome indicating that WGE from different donor ages have different potential to promote functional recovery. Understanding the stages and process in rodent striatal development could improve tissue selection in clinical trials of cell therapy in HD.
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16
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Abstract
Transplants of cells and tissues to the central nervous system of adult mammals can, under appropriate conditions, survive, integrate, and function. In particular, the grafted cells can sustain functional recovery in animal models of a range of neurodegenerative conditions including genetic and idiopathic neurodegenerative diseases of adulthood and aging, ischemic stroke, and brain and spinal cord trauma. In a restricted subset of such conditions, cell transplantation has progressed to application in humans in early-stage clinical trials. At the present stage of play, there is clear evidence of clinical efficacy of fetal cell transplants in Parkinson disease (notwithstanding a range of technical difficulties still to be fully resolved), and preliminary claims of promising outcomes in several other severe neurodegenerative conditions, including Huntington disease and stroke. Moreover, the experimental literature is increasingly suggesting that the experience and training of the graft recipient materially affects the functional outcome. For example, environmental enrichment, behavioral activity, and specific training can enhance the recovery process to maximize functional recovery. There are even circumstances where the grafted cells have been demonstrated to restore the neural substrate for new learning. Consequently, it is not sufficient to replace lost cells anatomically; rather, for the grafts to be effective, they need to be integrated functionally into the host circuitry, and the host animal requires training and rehabilitation to maximize function of the reconstructed graft-host circuitry. Such observations require reconsideration of the design of the next generation of clinical trials and subsequent service delivery, to include physiotherapists, cognitive therapists, and rehabilitation experts as core members of the transplant team, along with the neurologists and neurosurgeons that have conventionally led the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen B Dunnett
- Department of Biosciences, The Brain Repair Group, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
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17
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A novel extended sequence learning task (ESLeT) for rodents: Validation and the effects of amphetamine, scopolamine and striatal lesions. Brain Res Bull 2012; 88:237-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2010.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2010] [Revised: 10/11/2010] [Accepted: 10/13/2010] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Pauly MC, Piroth T, Döbrössy M, Nikkhah G. Restoration of the striatal circuitry: from developmental aspects toward clinical applications. Front Cell Neurosci 2012; 6:16. [PMID: 22529778 PMCID: PMC3329876 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2012.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2012] [Accepted: 03/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the basal ganglia circuitry, the striatum is a highly complex structure coordinating motor and cognitive functions and it is severely affected in Huntington's disease (HD) patients. Transplantation of fetal ganglionic eminence (GE) derived precursor cells aims to restore neural circuitry in the degenerated striatum of HD patients. Pre-clinical transplantation in genetic and lesion HD animal models has increased our knowledge of graft vs. host interactions, and clinical studies have been shown to successfully reduce motor and cognitive effects caused by the disease. Investigating the molecular mechanisms of striatal neurogenesis is a key research target, since novel strategies aim on generating striatal neurons by differentiating embryonic stem cells or by reprogramming somatic cells as alternative cell source for neural transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Christin Pauly
- Division of Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Department of General Neurosurgery, University Freiburg - Medical Center Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
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Ma L, Hu B, Liu Y, Vermilyea SC, Liu H, Gao L, Sun Y, Zhang X, Zhang SC. Human embryonic stem cell-derived GABA neurons correct locomotion deficits in quinolinic acid-lesioned mice. Cell Stem Cell 2012; 10:455-64. [PMID: 22424902 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2012.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 231] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2011] [Revised: 12/07/2011] [Accepted: 01/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Degeneration of medium spiny GABA neurons in the basal ganglia underlies motor dysfunction in Huntington's disease (HD), which presently lacks effective therapy. In this study, we have successfully directed human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to enriched populations of DARPP32-expressing forebrain GABA neurons. Transplantation of these human forebrain GABA neurons and their progenitors, but not spinal GABA cells, into the striatum of quinolinic acid-lesioned mice results in generation of large populations of DARPP32(+) GABA neurons, which project to the substantia nigra as well as receiving glutamatergic and dopaminergic inputs, corresponding to correction of motor deficits. This finding raises hopes for cell therapy for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixiang Ma
- Department of Anatomy, Histology & Embryology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, China
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Kaindlstorfer C, García J, Winkler C, Wenning GK, Nikkhah G, Döbrössy MD. Behavioral and histological analysis of a partial double-lesion model of parkinson-variant multiple system atrophy. J Neurosci Res 2012; 90:1284-95. [PMID: 22488729 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2011] [Revised: 11/30/2011] [Accepted: 12/02/2011] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disease with progressive autonomic failure, cerebellar ataxia (MSA-C), and parkinsonism (MSA-P) resulting from neuronal loss in multiple brain areas associated with oligodendroglial cytoplasmic α-synuclein inclusion bodies. No effective treatments exists, and MSA-P patients often fail to respond to L-DOPA because of the loss of striatal dopaminergic receptors. Rendering MSA-P patients sensitive to L-DOPA administration following striatal tissue transplantation has been proposed as a possible novel therapeutic strategy to improve the clinical condition. Here we describes simple, skilled, and sensorimotor behavior deficits in a unilateral partial double-lesion (DL) rat model of MSA-P. The sequential striatal double-lesion model mimicks early MSA-P pathology by combining partial 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) followed by striatal quinolinic acid (QA) lesion. Animals were tested on spontaneous, learned, or drug-induced behavioral tasks on multiple occasions pre- and postsurgery. The data show robust, lateralized deficits, and the partial 6-OHDA and the double-lesioned animals were most impaired. Importantly, this study identified a behavioral deficit profile unique to the double-lesion animals and distinctive from the single 6-OHDA- or the QA-lesioned animals. Histology confirmed an approximately 40% dopamine loss in the striatum in the 6-OHDA and double-lesion animals as well as a similar loss of striatal projection neurons in the QA and double-lesion animals. In summary, we have established the behavioral deficit profile of a partial double-lesion rat model mimicking the early stage of MSA-P.
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Döbrössy MD, Nikkhah G. Role of experience, training, and plasticity in the functional efficacy of striatal transplants. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2012. [PMID: 23195425 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-59575-1.00014-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based treatments of neurodegenerative diseases have been tested clinically with partial success. In the context of Huntington's disease (HD), experimental studies show that the grafted embryonic striatal cells survive, integrate within the host brain, and reverse some functional deficits. Importantly, once transplanted, the grafted striatal neurons retain a significant level of cellular, morphological, and functional plasticity which allows the experimental modification of their character through the manipulation of environmental cues or learning protocols. Using embryonic striatal grafts in the rodent model of HD as the principal example, this chapter summarizes seminal experiments that demonstrate that environmental factors, training, and activity can tap into mechanisms that influence the development of the grafted cells and can change the profile of graft-mediated behavioral recovery. Although currently there is limited understanding of the biological rationale behind the recovery, we put forward experimental data indicating that striatal grafts can express experience-dependent physiological plasticity at the synaptic as well as at the systemic functional level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté D Döbrössy
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurosurgery, Division of Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Department of General Neurosurgery, University of Freiburg Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany.
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Faraji J, Sutherland RJ, Metz GA. Stress precipitates functional deficits following striatal silent stroke: A synergistic effect. Exp Neurol 2011; 232:251-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2011.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2011] [Revised: 09/03/2011] [Accepted: 09/09/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Sacrey LAR, Travis SG, Whishaw IQ. Drug treatment and familiar music aids an attention shift from vision to somatosensation in Parkinson's disease on the reach-to-eat task. Behav Brain Res 2011; 217:391-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2010] [Revised: 11/01/2010] [Accepted: 11/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Madete JK, Klein A, Dunnett SB, Holt CA. Three-dimensional motion analysis of postural adjustments during over-ground locomotion in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. Behav Brain Res 2011; 220:119-25. [PMID: 21295618 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2010] [Revised: 01/13/2011] [Accepted: 01/19/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Postural instability, a symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, leads to frequent falls and difficulty in forward motion during gait. These motor deficits are mainly caused by neurodegenerative processes in the brain leading to reduced levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Postural studies involving animal models of PD are mainly based on movement scores or descriptive approaches to discerning differences in behaviour or function. Our aim was to describe postural adjustments in a rat model of PD utilising a quantitative three dimensional motion analysis technique during gait to investigate the effects of unilateral dopamine depletion on rat locomotion while walking on beams of varying widths (wide, narrow and graduated). Tail orientation, limb positions on the beam, range of motion and kinematic waveforms of the Roll, Pitch and Yaw of male Lister Hooded rats were investigated using passive markers placed in locations that were representative of their body axis. Hemiparkinsonian rats moved on the wide beam with a significantly higher Roll range of motion coupled with a positively biased Roll kinematic waveform during one gait cycle. While walking on the narrow beam they displayed an increased use of the ledge and placed their tail towards the right. These results are brought about by the rats' inability to shift body posture using the impaired limb. Our data demonstrate that marker-based motion capture can provide an effective and simple approach to quantifying postural adjustments for rat models of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- June K Madete
- Cardiff School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
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Klein A, Sacrey LAR, Dunnett SB, Whishaw IQ, Nikkhah G. Proximal movements compensate for distal forelimb movement impairments in a reach-to-eat task in Huntington's disease: New insights into motor impairments in a real-world skill. Neurobiol Dis 2011; 41:560-9. [PMID: 21059390 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2010.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2010] [Revised: 10/08/2010] [Accepted: 11/01/2010] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Klein
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK.
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Döbrössy MD, Dunnett SB. The corridor task: Striatal lesion effects and graft-mediated recovery in a model of Huntington's disease. Behav Brain Res 2007; 179:326-30. [PMID: 17383020 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2007.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2006] [Revised: 02/19/2007] [Accepted: 02/23/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Experimental validation of cell replacement therapy as a treatment of neurodegenerative diseases requires the demonstration of graft-mediated behavioural recovery. The Corridor task proved to be simple and efficient to conduct with a robust ipsilateral retrieval bias in our rodent Huntington's disease model. The Corridor task is a viable behavioural option, particularly to non-specialised laboratories, for the evaluation of lateralised striatal damage and the probing of alternative therapeutic strategies, including transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté D Döbrössy
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue Box 911, Cardiff CF10 3US, UK.
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