title: Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor-secreting genetically modified human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote recovery in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) neurons. The therapeutic potential of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), the most potent neurotrophic factor for DA neurons, has been demonstrated in many experimental models of PD. However, chronic delivery of GDNF to DA neurons in the brain remains an unmet challenge. Here, we report the effects of GDNF-releasing Notch-induced human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) grafted into striatum of the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) progressively lesioned rat model of PD. Human MSC, obtained from bone marrow aspirates of young, healthy adult volunteers, were transiently transfected with the intracellular domain of the Notch1 gene (NICD) to generate SB623 cells. SB623 cells expressing GDNF and/or humanized Renilla green fluorescent protein (hrGFP) following lentiviral transduction or nontransduced cells were stereotaxically placed into rat striatum 1 week after a unilateral partial 6-OHDA striatal lesion. At 4 weeks, rats that had received GDNF-transduced SB623 cells had significantly decreased amphetamine-induced rotation compared with control rats, although this effect was not observed in rats that received GFP-transduced or nontransduced SB623 cells. At 5 weeks, rejuvenated tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-IR) fibers that appeared to be host DA axons were observed in and around grafts. This effect was more prominent in rats that received GDNF-secreting cells and was not observed in controls. These observations suggest that human bone-marrow derived MSC, genetically modified to secrete GDNF, hold potential as an allogeneic or autologous stem cell therapy for PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Neurobiology Program, Children's Memorial Research Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60614, USA.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glavaski-Joksimovic
authors.forename: Tamas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Virag
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Mangatu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McGrogan
authors.forename: Xue Song
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Martha C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bohn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000379:methods; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor