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Scheper V, Schwieger J, Hamm A, Lenarz T, Hoffmann A. BDNF-overexpressing human mesenchymal stem cells mediate increased neuronal protection in vitro. J Neurosci Res 2019; 97:1414-1429. [PMID: 31257632 PMCID: PMC6772136 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The use of neurotrophic factors as therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases is considered as an approach aimed at restoring and maintaining neuronal function in the peripheral and central nervous system. Since the neuroprotective effect is depending on chronic delivery of the neurotrophic factors a sustained application, e.g., via cell‐based delivery is necessary. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were lentivirally modified to overexpress brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and to express fluorescent marker genes for easy visualization. Since genetically modified cells should be site‐specifically retained (e.g., by encapsulation) in the patients to avoid adverse effects the cells were additionally differentiated to chondrocytes to hypothetically improve their vitality and survival in a delivery matrix. Different polycations for lentiviral transduction were investigated for their efficiency. The success of differentiation was determined by analysis of chondrocyte marker genes and the neuroprotective effect of BDNF‐overexpressing cells was exemplarily investigated on neurons of the peripheral auditory system. The genetically modified hMSCs overexpressed BDNF from under 1 to 125 ng ml−1 day−1 depending on the donor and transfection method. Using protamine sulfate the transfection efficacy was superior compared to the use of polybrene. The BDNF secreted by the MSCs was significantly neuroprotective in comparison to the relevant controls even though the produced mean concentrations were lower than the effective concentrations for recombinant industrially produced proteins described in literature. The presented system of BDNF‐overexpressing hMSCs is neuroprotective and is therefore considered as a promising method for sustained delivery of proteins in therapeutically relevant amounts to degenerating neuronal structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Scheper
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, German Research Foundation, Hannover, Germany.,Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany
| | - Jana Schwieger
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany
| | - Anika Hamm
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Lenarz
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, German Research Foundation, Hannover, Germany.,Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany
| | - Andrea Hoffmann
- Lower Saxony Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Implant Research and Development (NIFE), Hannover, Germany.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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