Functional recovery of neuronal activity in rat whisker-barrel cortex sensory pathway from freezing injury after transplantation of adult bone marrow stromal cells

Mesenchymal stem cells improve depressive disorder via inhibiting the inflammatory polarization of microglia

Depressive disorder (DD) ranks among the most prevalent, burdensome, and costly psychiatric conditions globally. It manifests through a range of emotional, cognitive, somatic, and behavioral symptoms. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have garnered significant attention due to their therapeutic potential via immunomodulation in neurological disorders. Our research indicates that MSCs treatment demonstrates a notable effect on a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS)-induced DD model in mice, surpassing even Fluoxetine in its antidepressant efficacy. MSCs mitigate DD by inhibiting central nervous system inflammation and facilitating the conversion of microglial cells into an Arg1high anti-inflammatory state. The MSCs-derived TGF-β1 is crucial for this Arg1high microglial cell transformation in DD treatment.

Transplantation of rat dental pulp stem cells facilities post-lesion recovery in the somatosensory whisker cortex of male Wistar rats

Damage to somatosensory "barrel" cortex reduces the rats' behavioral sensitivity in discrimination of tactile stimuli. Here, we examined how transplantation of stem cells into the lesioned barrel cortex can help in recovery of sensory capacities. We induced mechanical lesions in the right barrel cortex area of male rats. Three days after lesioning, rats received one of three transplantation types: un-differentiated dental pulp stem cells (U-DPSCs) or differentiated dental pulp stem cells (D-DPSCs), or cell medium (vehicle). A fourth group of rats were control without any Surgery. For 4 consecutive weeks, starting one week after transplantation, we evaluated the rats' preference to explore novel textures as a measure of sensory discrimination ability, also measured the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Olig 2, nestin, neuronal nuclei (NeuN), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neuroligin1 by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Unilateral mechanical lesion decreased the rats' preferential exploration of novel textures compared to the control group across the 4-week behavioral tests. Following stem cell therapy, the rats' performance significantly improved at week 2-4 compared to the vehicle group. Compared to the control group, there was a significant decrease in the expression of nestin, NeuN, Olig 2, BDNF, neuroligin1 and a significant increase in the expression of GFAP in the vehicle group. The expression of the neural markers was significantly higher in DPSCs compared with the vehicle group whereas GFAP level was lower in DPSCs compared to vehicle. We found that DPSCs therapy affected a range of neuronal markers in the barrel cortex post lesion, and improved the rats' recovery for sensory discrimination.

Neuroprotection in Traumatic Brain Injury: Mesenchymal Stromal Cells can Potentially Overcome Some Limitations of Previous Clinical Trials

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. In the last 30 years several neuroprotective agents, attenuating the downstream molecular and cellular damaging events triggered by TBI, have been extensively studied. Even though many drugs have shown promising results in the pre-clinical stage, all have failed in large clinical trials. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) may offer a promising new therapeutic intervention, with preclinical data showing protection of the injured brain. We selected three of the critical aspects identified as possible causes of clinical failure: the window of opportunity for drug administration, the double-edged contribution of mechanisms to damage and recovery, and the oft-neglected role of reparative mechanisms. For each aspect, we briefly summarized the limitations of previous trials and the potential advantages of a newer approach using MSCs.

Effects of local administration of allogenic adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells on functional recovery in experimental traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in paediatric patients after the first year of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of locally administered allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), in the acute period after a TBI.

METHODOLOGY

MSC were isolated from peritoneal fat of healthy rats, expanded in vitro and labelled with the green fluorescent protein. Rats were placed in one of three experimental groups: (1) CONTROL: TBI, (2) IP-CONTROL: TBI + local saline and (3) IP-Treat: TBI + 2 × 10(5) MSC 24 hours after receiving a moderate, unilateral, controlled cortical impact. Motor and cognitive behavioural tests were performed to evaluate functional recovery. Histological examination and immunohistochemistry were used to identify cell distribution.

MAIN RESULTS

Improved performance was found on motor tests in the MSC-treated group compared to control groups. MSC were found in the perilesional area and their number decreased with time after transplantation. MSC treatment increased the cell density in the hippocampus (CA3 pyramidal cells and granule cells in the dentate gyrus) and enhanced neurogenesis in this area.

CONCLUSION

MSC cell therapy resulted in better recovery of motor function compared with the control group. This cellular therapy might be considered for patients suffering from TBI.

123 I-Iomazenil Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Visualizes Recovery of Neuronal Integrity by Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Therapy in Rat Infarct Brain

Background and Purpose—

This study was aimed to assess whether 123 I-iomazenil (IMZ) single photon emission computed tomography can serially monitor the effects of bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) transplantation on neuronal integrity in infarct brain of rats.

Methods—

The BMSCs were harvested from green fluorescent protein–transgenic rats and were cultured. The rats were subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. Their motor function was serially quantified throughout the experiments. The BMSCs or vehicle was stereotactically transplanted into the ipsilateral striatum at 7 days after the insult. Using small-animal single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography apparatus, the 123 I-IMZ uptake was serially measured at 6 and 35 days after the insult. Finally, fluorescence immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the distribution of engrafted cells and their phenotypes.

Results—

The distribution of 123 I-IMZ was markedly decreased in the ipsilateral neocortex at 6 days postischemia. The vehicle-transplanted animals did not show a significant change at 35 days postischemia. However, BMSC transplantation significantly improved the distribution of 123 I-IMZ in the peri-infarct neocortex as well as motor function. The engrafted BMSCs were densely distributed around cerebral infarct, and some of them expressed neuronal nuclear antigen and γ-aminobutyric acid type-A receptor.

Conclusions—

The present findings strongly suggest that the BMSCs may enhance functional recovery by improving the neuronal integrity in the peri-infarct area, when directly transplanted into the infarct brain at clinically relevant timing. 123 I-IMZ single photon emission computed tomography may be a promising modality to scientifically prove the beneficial effects of BMSC transplantation on the host brain in clinical situation.

Stem cell therapy for cerebral ischemia: from basic science to clinical applications

Recent stem cell technology provides a strong therapeutic potential not only for acute ischemic stroke but also for chronic progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with neuroregenerative neural cell replenishment and replacement. In addition to resident neural stem cell activation in the brain by neurotrophic factors, bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) can be mobilized by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor for homing into the brain for both neurorepair and neuroregeneration in acute stroke and neurodegenerative diseases in both basic science and clinical settings. Exogenous stem cell transplantation is also emerging into a clinical scene from bench side experiments. Early clinical trials of intravenous transplantation of autologous BMSCs are showing safe and effective results in stroke patients. Further basic sciences of stem cell therapy on a neurovascular unit and neuroregeneration, and further clinical advancements on scaffold technology for supporting stem cells and stem cell tracking technology such as magnetic resonance imaging, single photon emission tomography or optical imaging with near-infrared could allow stem cell therapy to be applied in daily clinical applications in the near future.

Therapeutic effects of intra-arterial delivery of bone marrow stromal cells in traumatic brain injury of rats--in vivo cell tracking study by near-infrared fluorescence imaging

BACKGROUND

A noninvasive and effective route of cell delivery should be established to yield maximal therapeutic effects for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate whether intra-arterial delivery of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) significantly promotes functional recovery in traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats.

METHODS

Rat BMSCs were transplanted through the ipsilateral internal carotid artery 7 days after the onset of cortical freezing injury. The BMSCs were labeled with fluorescent dye, and in vivo optical imaging was employed to monitor the behaviors of cells for 4 weeks after transplantation. Motor function was assessed for 4 weeks, and the transplanted BMSCs were examined using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

In vivo optical imaging and histologic analysis clearly demonstrated that the intra-arterially injected BMSCs were engrafted during the first pass without systemic circulation, and the transplanted BMSCs started to migrate from the cerebral capillary bed to the injured CNS tissue within 3 hours. Intra-arterial BMSC transplantation significantly promoted functional recovery after cortical freezing injury. A subgroup of BMSCs expressed the phenotypes of neurons, astrocytes, and endothelial cells around the injured neocortex 4 weeks after transplantation.

CONCLUSION

Intra-arterial transplantation may be a valuable option for prompt, noninvasive delivery of BMSCs to the injured CNS tissue, enhancing functional recovery after TBI. In vivo optical imaging may provide important information on the intracerebral behaviors of donor cells by noninvasive, serial visualization.

Autologous bone marrow stromal cell transplantation for central nervous system disorders - recent progress and perspective for clinical application

There is increasing evidence that the transplanted BMSC significantly promote functional recovery after CNS damage in the animal models of various kinds of CNS disorders, including cerebral infarct, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. However, there are several shortages of information when considering clinical application of BMSC transplantation for patients with CNS disorders. In this review, therefore, we discuss what we should clarify to establish cell transplantation therapy as the scientifically proven entity in clinical situation and describe our recent works for this purpose. The BMSC have the ability to alter their gene expression profile and phenotype in response to the surrounding circumstances and to protect the neurons by producing some neurotrophic factors. They also promote neurite extension and rebuild the neural circuits in the injured CNS. The BMSC can be expanded in vitro using the animal serum-free medium. Pharmacological modulation may accelerate the in vitro proliferation of the BMSC. Using in vivo optical imaging technique, the transplanted BMSC can non-invasively be tracked in the living animals for at least 8 weeks after transplantation. It is urgent issues to develop clinical imaging technique to track the transplanted cells in the CNS and evaluate the therapeutic significance of BMSC transplantation in order to establish it as a definite therapeutic strategy in clinical situation in the future.

Bystander killing effect of tymidine kinase gene-transduced adult bone marrow stromal cells with ganciclovir on malignant glioma cells

Transduction of the suicide gene of Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (Hsv-tk) into glioma cells or neural stem cells combined with pro-drug ganciclovir (GCV) treatment has been effective to treat experimental glioma in the rat through the bystander effect. Bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) in the adult bone marrow have tropism for brain tumors and act as tumor stromal cells. Whether adult MSCs expressing Hsv-tk can also act as effector cells of the bystander killing effect on murine glioma cells was investigated. In vitro study of co-culture between 9L/LacZ (9L) glioma cells and Hsv-tk-transduced MSCs (MSCs/tk(+)) followed by GCV administration in the culture medium resulted in apparent nuclear morphological changes in the 9L glioma cells surrounding the MSCs/tk(+). 9L glioma cell survival in the presence of MSCs/tk(+) and GCV treatment was quantitatively measured and showed significant decrease of 9L glioma cell proliferation with higher MSCs/tk(+) ratio and GCV concentration. Intracerebral co-inoculation experiments in Fisher rats used 9L glioma cells and either MSCs/tk(+) or Hsv-tk-non-transduced MSCs (MSCs/tk(-)) followed by intraperitoneal injection of GCV (100 mg/kg, daily for 7 days). The animals co-inoculated with 9L glioma cells and MSCs/tk(+) showed significant retardation of tumor growth and prolongation of survival time compared with the animals with 9L glioma cells and MSCs/tk(-). Quantitative findings were established of the novel effects of adult MSCs/tk(+) as effector cells of the bystander killing effect on glioma cells.

A combined procedure to deliver autologous mesenchymal stromal cells to patients with traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND

There is increasing evidence of therapeutic benefits from bone marrow (BM)-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in various animal models with neurologic disorders. It is of great interest to apply the approach to clinical patients, i.e. to take the investigations from laboratory bench to the patient's bedside. This clinical trial was performed to assess the safety and feasibility of a combined procedure to deliver autologous MSC to patients with traumatic brain injury.

METHODS

MSC were isolated by BM aspiration and expanded in culture. Seven patients received autologous cell transplantation. A primary administration of 10(7)-10(9) cells was applied directly to the injured area during the cranial operation; a second dose of 10(8)-10(10) cells was infused intravenously. All patients were followed up regularly for 6 months.

RESULTS

There was no immediate or delayed toxicity related to the cell administration within the 6-month follow-up period. Neurologic function was significantly improved at 6 months after cell therapy.

DISCUSSION

The procedure used is safe and feasible at ordinary medical facilities without additional invasive procedures for the patient. The combined cell delivery procedure is expected to enhance the engraftment efficacy of transplanted cells at injured brain tissue, thereby promoting neurologic recover.

Future prospects of transplantation therapy for neurological diseases using adult bone marrow stromal cells

Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) can differentiate into neuronal cell types as well as mesenchymal cell types. BMSCs possess three distinctive abilities: secretion of neurotrophic factors; differentiation into neurons, glia and Schwann cells; and migration throughout the CNS. Extensive preclinical studies of BMSC transplantation therapy have investigated the treatment of various neurological disorders. This review provides a concise overview of the mainly preclinical studies of transplantation therapy based on BMSCs derived from adult bone marrow. This highlights the three main characteristics that provide the potential for the treatment of neurological disorders.

Comparative analysis of differentiation and behavior of human neural and mesenchymal stem cells In Vitro and In Vivo

Comparative analysis of differentiation of human neural and mesenchymal stem cells in tissue culture and after transplantation into the brain was carried out using the same antibody set. Neural stem cells differentiated into all types of neural cells, are retained after transplantation, migrate, and form reciprocal relationships with the recipient brain. Mesenchymal stem cells were incapable of neural development under conditions of common culturing or after transplantation and retained the fibroblast-like status. Recipient filaments grew into mesenchymal stem cell transplants containing no neural cells due to local changes in the extracellular matrix at the site of transplantation.