Effects of NT-4 gene modified fibroblasts transplanted into AD rats.
It is well known that fibroblasts can act as a cell vector to express functional protein, like neurotrophin-4 (NT-4). The present study evaluated the effect of NT-4 gene modified fibroblasts grafted into the hippocampus of AD rat model. AD rats were reproduced by bilateral transection of the hippocampal fimbria-fornix. The transplanted fibroblasts steadily expressed NT-4 proteins at least 2 months after transplantation. This correlated with a significant rescue in the number of cholinergic neurons in the host hippocampus. Morris water maze tests demonstrated significant improvements in learning and memory, especially in rats receiving NT-4-modified fibroblasts. The present results showed that NT-4 gene modified fibroblasts could provide a long-term and steady expression of NT-4, and it significantly improved the behavior of AD rats. These findings should have important clinical applications in providing a long-term NT-4 Secretion for the treatment of AD.
Liu
Jia
J
Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical College, Kunming, Yunnan 650031, China.
Zhang
Zhuo
Z
Li
Jin-Tao
JT
Zhu
Yu-Hong
YH
Zhou
Hao-Li
HL
Liu
Su
S
Wang
Ting-Hua
TH
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018782:Maze Learning; D008568:Memory; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C073922:neurotrophin 4