Primate adult brain cell autotransplantation, a pilot study in asymptomatic MPTP-treated monkeys.
Autologous brain cell transplantation might be useful for repairing lesions and restoring function of the central nervous system. We have demonstrated that adult monkey brain cells, obtained from cortical biopsy and kept in culture for a few weeks, exhibit neural progenitor characteristics that make them useful for brain repair. Following MPTP treatment, primates were dopamine depleted but asymptomatic. Autologous cultured cells were reimplanted into the right caudate nucleus of the donor monkey. Four months after reimplantation, histological analysis by stereology and TH immunolabeling showed that the reimplanted cells successfully survived, bilaterally migrated in the whole striatum, and seemed to have a neuroprotection effect over time. These results may add a new strategy to the field of brain neuroprotection or regeneration and could possibly lead to future clinical applications.
Brunet
Jean-François
JF
Department of Neurosurgery, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland. Jean-Francois.Brunet@chuv.ch
Redmond
D Eugene
DE
Bloch
Jocelyne
J
D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000166:cytology; D002450:Cell Communication; D002465:Cell Movement; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000166:cytology*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D009498:Neurotoxins; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine