Transplanted human embryonic neural stem cells survive, migrate, differentiate and increase endogenous nestin expression in adult rat cortical peri-infarction zone.
Transplantation of stem cells is a potential therapeutic strategy for stroke damage. The survival, migration, and differentiation of transplanted human embryonic neural stem cells in the acute post-ischemic environment were characterized and endogenous nestin expression after transplantation was investigated. Human embryonic neural stem cells obtained from the temporal lobe cortex were cultured and labeled with fluorescent 1,1'-dioctadecy-6,6'-di (4-sulfopheyl)-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanin (DiI) in vitro. Labeled cells were transplanted into cortical peri-infarction zones of adult rats 24 h after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. Survival, migration, and differentiation of grafted cells were quantified in immunofluorescence-stained sections from rats sacrificed at 7, 14, and 28 days after transplantation. Endogenous nestin-positive cells in the cortical peri-infarction zone were counted at serial time points. The cells transplanted into the cortical peri-infarction zone displayed the morphology of living cells and became widely located around the ischemic area. Moreover, some of the transplanted cells expressed nestin, GFAP, or NeuN in the peri-infarction zone. Furthermore, compared with the control group, endogenous nestin-positive cells in the peri-infarction zone had increased significantly 7 days after cell transplantation. These results confirm the survival, migration, and differentiation of transplanted cells in the acute post-ischemic environment and enhanced endogenous nestin expression within a brief time window. These findings indicate that transplantation of neural stem cells into the peri-infarction zone may be performed as early as 24 h after ischemia.
Zhang
Pengbo
P
Institute of Neurobiology, National Key Academic Subject of Physiology, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an, China.
Li
Jie
J
Liu
Yong
Y
Chen
Xinlin
X
Kang
Qianyan
Q
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D064231:Nestin; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors
D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; C577484:NES protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577486:Nes protein, rat; D064231:Nestin