Amniotic fluid stem cell migration after intraperitoneal injection in pup rats: implication for therapy.
OBJECTIVE
Despite being commonly used in clinical practice, the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route has been rarely used for cell delivery. We evaluated the capacity of amniotic fluid stem (AFS) cells, administered i.p., to diffuse systemically and to integrate into tissues of healthy newborn rats.


METHODS
AFS cells were obtained from pregnant GFP + Sprague-Dawley rats by c-kit selection. Wild-type Sprague-Dawley newborn rats were divided into two groups receiving i.p.: (1) 2 x 10(6) AFS cells (n = 12); (2) of phosphate buffer saline (PBS) (n = 2) at 24 and 48 h after birth. Animals were either killed at 96 h of life, and organs collected for gfp amplification, or at 3 weeks of life and tissues isolated for green fluorescence protein (GFP) immunofluorescence.


RESULTS
No adverse effects were observed after i.p. injection of PBS or AFS cells. Gfp was amplified in at least one organ in all rats injected with AFS cells except one (11/12). The intestine was the organ found most frequently positive (67%) followed by liver (25%), spleen (16%), heart (16%), lungs (16%), femur (8%) and brain (0%). Immunohistochemistry confirmed PCR results.


CONCLUSIONS
In the short term, the i.p. administration of AFS cells, is a safe procedure and allows their migration, homing and integration into various organs of healthy newborn rats.
Ghionzoli
Marco
M
Department of Surgery, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
Cananzi
Mara
M
Zani
Augusto
A
Rossi
Carlo Alberto
CA
Leon
Francesco Fascetti
FF
Pierro
Agostino
A
Eaton
Simon
S
De Coppi
Paolo
P
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D015200:Fluoroimmunoassay; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*
D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D004247:DNA