title: Transplantation of microencapsulated umbilical-cord-blood-derived hepatic-like cells for treatment of hepatic failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate intraperitoneal transplantation of microencapsulated hepatic-like cells from human umbilical cord blood for treatment of hepatic failure in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  CD34+ cells in umbilical cord blood cells were isolated by magnetic cell sorting. In the in vitro experiment, sorted CD34+ cells were amplified and induced into hepatic-like cells by culturing with a combination of fibroblast growth factor 4 and hepatocyte growth factor. Cultures without growth factor addition served as controls. mRNA and protein levels for hepatic-like cells were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. In the in vivo experiment, the hepatic-like cells were encapsulated and transplanted into the abdominal cavity of acute hepatic failure (AHF) rats at 48 h after D-galactosamine induction of acute hepatic failure. Transplantation with PBS and unencapsulated hepatic-like cells served as controls. The mortality rate, hepatic pathological changes and serum biochemical indexes were determined. The morphology and structure of microcapsules in the greater omentum were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Human albumin, alpha-fetoprotein and GATA-4 mRNA and albumin protein positive cells were found among cultured cells after 16 d. Albumin level in culture medium was significantly increased after culturing with growth factors in comparison with culturing without growth factor addition (P < 0.01). Compared with the unencapsulated group, the mortality rate of the encapsulated hepatic-like cell-transplanted group was significantly lower (P < 0.05). Serum biochemical parameters, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin in the encapsulated group were significantly improvement compared with the PBS control group (P < 0.01). Pathological staining further supported these findings. At 1-2 wk post-transplantation, free microcapsules with a round clear structure and a smooth surface were observed in peritoneal lavage fluid, surviving cells inside microcapsules were found by trypan blue staining, but some fibrous tissue around microcapsules was also detected in the greater omentum of encapsulated group by hematoxylin and eosin staining.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transplantation of microencapsulated hepatic-like cells derived from umbilical cord blood cells could preliminarily alleviate the symptoms of AHF rats.
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036, China.
authors.forename: Fang-Ting
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hui-Juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Ming-Hua
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Mei-Jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Chun-Qiao
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D036101:Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods*; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051519:Fibroblast Growth Factor 4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005688:Galactosamine / Q000009:adverse effects; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D051519:Fibroblast Growth Factor 4; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D005688:Galactosamine