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Hotta R, Rahman A, Bhave S, Stavely R, Pan W, Srinivasan S, de Couto G, Rodriguez-Borlado L, Myers R, Burns AJ, Goldstein AM. Transplanted ENSCs form functional connections with intestinal smooth muscle and restore colonic motility in nNOS-deficient mice. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:232. [PMID: 37667277 PMCID: PMC10478362 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03469-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Enteric neuropathies, which result from abnormalities of the enteric nervous system, are associated with significant morbidity and high health-care costs, but current treatments are unsatisfactory. Cell-based therapy offers an innovative approach to replace the absent or abnormal enteric neurons and thereby restore gut function. METHODS Enteric neuronal stem cells (ENSCs) were isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of Wnt1-Cre;R26tdTomato mice and generated neurospheres (NS). NS transplants were performed via injection into the mid-colon mesenchyme of nNOS-/- mouse, a model of colonic dysmotility, using either 1 (n = 12) or 3 (n = 12) injections (30 NS per injection) targeted longitudinally 1-2 mm apart. Functional outcomes were assessed up to 6 weeks later using electromyography (EMG), electrical field stimulation (EFS), optogenetics, and by measuring colorectal motility. RESULTS Transplanted ENSCs formed nitrergic neurons in the nNOS-/- recipient colon. Multiple injections of ENSCs resulted in a significantly larger area of coverage compared to single injection alone and were associated with a marked improvement in colonic function, demonstrated by (1) increased colonic muscle activity by EMG recording, (2) faster rectal bead expulsion, and (3) increased fecal pellet output in vivo. Organ bath studies revealed direct neuromuscular communication by optogenetic stimulation of channelrhodopsin-expressing ENSCs and restoration of smooth muscle relaxation in response to EFS. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that transplanted ENSCs can form effective neuromuscular connections and improve colonic motor function in a model of colonic dysmotility, and additionally reveal that multiple sites of cell delivery led to an improved response, paving the way for optimized clinical trial design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Hotta
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ahmed Rahman
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sukhada Bhave
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rhian Stavely
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Weikang Pan
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shriya Srinivasan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Society of Fellows, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Geoffrey de Couto
- Gastrointestinal Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Luis Rodriguez-Borlado
- Gastrointestinal Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Richard Myers
- Gastrointestinal Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Alan J Burns
- Gastrointestinal Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Allan M Goldstein
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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Choi NR, Jeong H, Choi WG, Park JW, Ko SJ, Kim BJ. A Study on the Effects of Muscarinic and Serotonergic Regulation by Bojanggunbi-tang on the Pacemaker Potential of the Interstitial Cells of Cajal in the Murine Small Intestine. Int J Med Sci 2023; 20:1000-1008. [PMID: 37484801 PMCID: PMC10357445 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.83986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In traditional Korean medicine, the 16-herb concoction Bojanggunbi-tang (BGT) is used to treat various gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. In this study, we investigated the regulatory mechanism underlying the influence of BGT on the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), pacemaker cells in the GI tract. Within 12 h of culturing ICCs in the small intestines of mice, the pacemaker potential of ICCs was recorded through an electrophysiological method. An increase in the BGT concentration induced depolarization and decreased firing frequency. This reaction was suppressed by cholinergic receptor muscarinic 3 (CHRM3) antagonists, as well as 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor (5HTR) 3 and 4 antagonists. Nonselective cation channel inhibitors, such as thapsigargin and flufenamic acid, along with protein kinase C (PKC) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors, also suppressed the BGT reaction. Guanylate cyclase and protein kinase G (PKG) antagonists inhibited BGT, but adenylate cyclase and protein kinase A antagonists had no effect. In conclusion, we demonstrated that BGT acts through CHRM3, 5HTR3, and 5HTR4 to regulate intracellular Ca2+ concentrations and the PKC, MAPK, guanylate cycle, and PKG signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Ri Choi
- Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Haejeong Jeong
- Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Gyun Choi
- Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Woo Park
- Department of Clinical Korean Medicine, Graduate School of Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Gastroenterology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Jae Ko
- Department of Clinical Korean Medicine, Graduate School of Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
- Department of Gastroenterology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Joo Kim
- Division of Longevity and Biofunctional Medicine, Pusan National University School of Korean Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
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