title: Cotransplantation of human embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitors and schwann cells in a rat spinal cord contusion injury model elicits a distinct neurogenesis and functional recovery.
abstract: Cotransplantation of neural progenitors (NPs) with Schwann cells (SCs) might be a way to overcome low rate of neuronal differentiation of NPs following transplantation in spinal cord injury (SCI) and the improvement of locomotor recovery. In this study, we initially generated NPs from  human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and investigated their potential for neuronal differentiation and functional recovery when cocultured with SCs in vitro and cotransplanted in a rat acute model of contused SCI. Cocultivation results revealed that the presence of SCs provided a consistent  status for hESC-NPs and recharged their neural differentiation toward a predominantly neuronal fate. Following transplantation, a significant functional recovery was observed in all engrafted groups (NPs, SCs, NPs + SCs) relative to the vehicle and control groups. We also observed that animals  receiving cotransplants established a better state as assessed with the BBB functional test. Immunohistofluorescence evaluation 5 weeks after transplantation showed invigorated neuronal differentiation and limited proliferation in the cotransplanted group when compared to the individual hESC-NP-grafted  group. These findings have demonstrated that the cotransplantation of SCs with hESC-NPs could offer a synergistic effect, promoting neuronal differentiation and functional recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Animal Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niapour
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Karamali
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nemati
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Taghipour
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mardani
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nasr-Esfahani
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baharvand
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D055495:Neurogenesis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*