Transplantation of foetal neural stem cells into the rat hippocampus during trimethyltin-induced neurodegeneration.
The present study investigates the survival and fate of neural stem cells/progenitor cells (NSC/NPCs) homografted into the hippocampus of rats treated with trimethyltin (TMT), a potent neurotoxicant considered a useful tool to obtain a well characterized model of neurodegeneration, to evaluate their possible role in the reparative mechanisms that accompany neurodegenerative events. NSC/NPCs expressing eGFP by lentivirus-mediated infection were stereotaxically grafted into the hippocampus of TMT-treated animals and controls. Two weeks after transplantation surviving NSC/NPCs were detectable in 60% of TMT-treated animals and 30% of controls, while 30 days after transplantation only 40% of TMT-treated animals showed surviving grafted cells, which were undetectable in controls. At both times investigated, while grafted NSC/NPCs differentiated into neurons or astrocytes could be observed in addition to undifferentiated NSC/NPCs, we did not find evidence of structural integration of grafted cells into the main site of hippocampal lesion leading to appreciable repair.
Geloso
Maria Concetta
MC
Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy.
Giannetti
Stefano
S
Cenciarelli
Carlo
C
Budoni
Manuela
M
Casalbore
Patrizia
P
Maira
Giulio
G
Michetti
Fabrizio
F
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006085:Graft Survival; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D014298:Trimethyltin Compounds
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D014298:Trimethyltin Compounds; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins