title: Human motor neuron progenitor transplantation leads to endogenous neuronal sparing in 3 models of motor neuron loss.
abstract: Motor neuron loss is characteristic of many neurodegenerative disorders and results in rapid loss of muscle control, paralysis, and eventual death in severe cases. In order to investigate the neurotrophic effects of a motor neuron lineage graft, we transplanted human embryonic stem cell-derived motor neuron progenitors (hMNPs) and examined their histopathological effect in three animal models of motor neuron loss. Specifically, we transplanted hMNPs into rodent models of SMA (Δ7SMN), ALS (SOD1 G93A), and spinal cord injury (SCI). The transplanted cells survived and differentiated in all models. In addition, we have also found that hMNPs secrete physiologically active growth factors in vivo, including NGF and NT-3, which significantly enhanced the number of spared endogenous neurons in all three animal models. The ability to maintain dying motor neurons by delivering motor neuron-specific neurotrophic support represents a powerful treatment strategy for diseases characterized by motor neuron loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Reeve-Irvine Research Center, Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, School of Medicine, 2002 Sue and Bill Gross Hall: A CIRM Institute, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4292, USA.
authors.forename: Tanya J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: Sharyn L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Monica M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Siegenthaler
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frame
authors.forename: Rockelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robles
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nistor
authors.forename: Hans S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Keirstead