Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment Normalizes Cortical Gene Expression after Traumatic Brain Injury

Behavioral, neurotransmitter and transcriptomic analyses in male and female Fmr1 KO mice

Introduction

Fragile X syndrome is an inherited X-linked disorder associated with intellectual disabilities that begin in childhood and last a lifetime. The symptoms overlap with autism spectrum disorder, and the syndrome predominantly affects males. Consequently, FXS research tends to favor analysis of social behaviors in males, leaving a gap in our understanding of other behavioral traits, especially in females.

Methods

We used a mouse model of FXS to analyze developmental, behavioral, neurochemical, and transcriptomic profiles in males and females.

Results

Our behavioral assays demonstrated locomotor hyperactivity, motor impulsivity, increased "approach" behavior in an approach-avoidance assay, and deficits in nest building behavior. Analysis of brain neurotransmitter content revealed deficits in striatal GABA, glutamate, and serotonin content. RNA sequencing of the ventral striatum unveiled expression changes associated with neurotransmission as well as motivation and substance use pathways. Sex differences were identified in nest building behavior, striatal neurotransmitter content, and ventral striatal gene expression.

Discussion

In summary, our study identified sex differences in specific behavioral, neurotransmitter, and gene expression phenotypes and gene set enrichment analysis identified significant enrichment of pathways associated with motivation and drug reward.

The inhibitory effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells expressing anti-HAAH scFv-sTRAIL fusion protein on glioma

Glioma is the most common malignant intracranial tumor with low 5-year survival rate. In this study, we constructed a plasmid expressing anti-HAAH single-chain antibody and sTRAIL fusion protein (scFv-sTRAIL), and explored the effects of the double gene modified human umbilical cord mesenchyreal stem cells (hucMSCs) on the growth of glioma in vitro and in vivo. The isolated hucMSCs were identified by detecting the adipogenic differentiation ability and the osteogenic differentiation ability. The phenotypes of hucMSCs were determined by the flow cytometry. The hucMSCs were infected with lentivirus expression scFv-sTRAIL fusion protein. The expression of sTRAIL in hucMSCs were detected by immunofluorescence staining, western blot and ELISA. The tropism of hucMSCs toward U87G cells was assessed by transwell assay. The inhibitory effect of hucMSCs on U87G cells were explored by CCK8 and apoptosis assay. The xenograft tumor was established by subcutaneously injection of U87G cells into the back of mice. The hucMSCs were injected via tail veins. The inhibitory effect of hucMSCs on glioma in vivo was assessed by TUNEL assay. The hucMSCs migrated into the xenograft tumor were revealed by detecting the green fluorescent. The results showed that the scFv-sTRAIL expression did not affect the phenotypes of hucMSCs. The scFv-sTRAIL expression promoted the tropism of hucMSCs toward U87G cells, enhanced the inhibitory effect and tumor killing effect of hucMSCs on U87G cells. The in vivo study showed that hucMSCs expressing scFv-sTRAIL demonstrated significantly higher inhibitory effect and tumor killing effect than hucMSCs expressing sTRAIL. The green fluorescence intensity in the mice injected with hucMSCs expressing scFv-sTRAIL was significantly higher than that injected with hucMSCs expressing sTRAIL. These data suggested that the scFv conferred the targeting effect of hucMSCs tropism towards the xenograft tumor. In conclusion, the hucMSCs expressing scFv-sTRAIL fusion protein gained the capability to target and kill gliomas cells in vitro and in vivo. These findings shed light on a potential therapy for glioma treatment.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells may attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury via inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome and hepatocyte pyroptosis

BACKGROUND

The transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal cells (BMSCs) has been shown to be an effective means of treating sepsis-related organ damage. Pytoptotic cell death, in turn, has recently been identified as a key driver of sepsis-related damage. At present, there are few studies on the effect of BMSC transplantation on pytoptotic cell death.

OBJECTIVE

We explored the ability of BMSCs to attenuate hepatic damage in a pyroptosis-related manner in a rat model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury.

METHODS

Following injury modeling and BMSC transplantation, we assessed the expression of the NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and key downstream pyroptosis-related signaling molecules.

RESULTS

It was found that BMSC transplantation was sufficient to significantly improve rat survival after LPS injection. Significantly reduced expression of the pyroptosis-related proteins NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18 in rats that had undergone BMSC transplantation compared to control animals. Notably, this activity was superior to single-agent administration of the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that BMSC transplantation may alleviate LPS-induced hepatic damage by suppressing the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the induction of pyroptotic cell death.

Successful Treatment of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss by Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: An RNAseq Analysis of Protective/Repair Pathways

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are an adult derived stem cell-like population that has been shown to mediate repair in a wide range of degenerative disorders. The protective effects of MSCs are mainly mediated by the release of growth factors and cytokines thereby modulating the diseased environment and the immune system. Within the inner ear, MSCs have been shown protective against tissue damage induced by sound and a variety of ototoxins. To better understand the mechanism of action of MSCs in the inner ear, mice were exposed to narrow band noise. After exposure, MSCs derived from human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly were injected into the perilymph. Controls consisted of mice exposed to sound trauma only. Forty-eight hours post-cell delivery, total RNA was extracted from the cochlea and RNAseq performed to evaluate the gene expression induced by the cell therapy. Changes in gene expression were grouped together based on gene ontology classification. A separate cohort of animals was treated in a similar fashion and allowed to survive for 2 weeks post-cell therapy and hearing outcomes determined. Treatment with MSCs after severe sound trauma induced a moderate hearing protective effect. MSC treatment resulted in an up-regulation of genes related to immune modulation, hypoxia response, mitochondrial function and regulation of apoptosis. There was a down-regulation of genes related to synaptic remodeling, calcium homeostasis and the extracellular matrix. Application of MSCs may provide a novel approach to treating sound trauma induced hearing loss and may aid in the identification of novel strategies to protect hearing.

Pretreatment with human urine-derived stem cells protects neurological function in rats following cardiopulmonary resuscitation after cardiac arrest

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after cardiac arrest (CA) often leads to neurological deficits in the absence of effective treatment. The aim of the present basic research study was to investigate the effects of human urine-derived stem cells (hUSCs) on the recovery of neurological function in rats after CA/CPR. hUSCs were isolated in vitro and identified using flow cytometry. A rat model of CA was established, and CPR was performed. Animals were scored for neurofunctional deficits following hUSC transplantation. The expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the hippocampus and temporal cortex were detected via immunofluorescence. Moreover, brain water content and serum S100 calcium binding protein B (S100B) levels were measured 7 days following hUSC transplantation. The results demonstrated that hUSCs had upregulated expression levels of CD29, CD90, CD44, CD105, CD73, CD224 and CD146, and expressed low levels of CD34 and human leukocyte antigen-DR isotype. In addition, hUSCs were able to differentiate into neuronal cells in vitro. The SPSS 19.0 statistical package was used for statistical analysis, and it was found that the neurological function of the rats after CA/CPR was significantly improved following hUSC transplantation. Furthermore, hUSCs aggregated in the hippocampus and temporal cortex, and secreted large amounts of BDNF and VEGF. hUSC transplantation also effectively inhibited brain edema and serum S100B levels after CPR. Therefore, the results suggested that hUSC transplantation significantly improved the neurological function of rats after CA/CPR, possibly by promoting the expression levels of BDNF and VEGF, as well as inhibiting brain edema.

Mesenchymal stem cells in neurodegenerative diseases: Opinion review on ethical dilemmas

The treatment of neurodegenerative diseases presents a growing need for innovation in relation to recent evidence in the field of reconstructive therapy using stem cells. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disorders, and the advent of methods able to induce neuronal stem cell differentiation allowed to develop innovative therapeutic approaches offering the prospect of healthy and perfectly functional cell transplants, able to replace the sick ones. Hence the importance of deepening the state of the art regarding the clinical applications of advanced cell therapy products for the regeneration of nerve tissue. Besides representing a promising area of tissue transplant surgery and a great achievement in the field of neurodegenerative disease, stem cell research presents certain critical issues that need to be carefully examined from the ethical perspective. In fact, a subject so complex and not entirely explored requires a detailed scientific and ethical evaluation aimed at avoiding improper and ineffective use, rather than incorrect indications, technical inadequacies, and incongruous expectations. In fact, the clinical usefulness of stem cells will only be certain if able to provide the patient with safe, long-term and substantially more effective strategies than any other treatment available. The present paper provides an ethical assessment of tissue regeneration through mesenchymal stem cells in neurodegenerative diseases with the aim to rule out the fundamental issues related to research and clinical translation.

Variability and uncertainty in the rodent controlled cortical impact model of traumatic brain injury

BACKGROUND

Controlled cortical impact (CCI) has emerged as one of the most flexible and clinically applicable approaches for the induction of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rodents and other species. Although this approach has been shown to model cognitive and functional outcomes associated with TBI in humans, recent work has shown that CCI is limited by excessive variability in lesion size despite attempts to control velocity, impact depth, and dwell time.

NEW METHOD

Thus, this work used high-speed imaging to evaluate the delivery of cortical impact and permit the identification of specific parameters associated with technical variability in the CCI model.

RESULTS

Variability is introduced by vertical oscillations that result in multiple impacts of varying depths, lateral movements after impact, and changes in velocity, particularly at the prescribed impact depth.

CONCLUSIONS

Together these data can inform future work to design modifications to commonly used CCI devices that produce TBI with less variability in severity and lesion size.

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.

Altered Hippocampal Neurogenesis during the First 7 Days after a Fluid Percussion Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a devastating disorder causing negative outcomes in millions of people each year. Despite the alarming number of brain injuries and the long-term detrimental outcomes that can be associated with TBI, treatment options are lacking. Extensive investigation is underway, in hopes of identifying effective treatment strategies. Among the most state-of-the-art strategies is cell replacement therapy. TBI is a seemingly good candidate for cell replacement studies because there is often loss of neurons. However, translation of this therapy has not yet been successful. It is possible that a better understanding of endogenous neurogenic mechanisms after TBI could lead to more efficacious study designs using exogenous cell replacement strategies. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the number and migration of immature neurons at 1 and 7 d after a fluid percussion TBI. The results show that the number of immature neurons increases from 7 d after a fluid percussion injury (FPI), and there is ectopic migration of doublecortin (DCX+) immature neurons into the hilar region of the dentate gyrus. These results add important data to the current understanding of the endogenous neurogenic niche after TBI. Follow-up studies are needed to better understand the functional significance of elevated neurogenesis and aberrant migration into the hilus.