Antiepileptic and neuroprotective effects of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells in a pilocarpine-induced epilepsy model.
Status epilepticus (SE) is a condition of persistent seizure that leads to brain damage and, frequently, to the establishment of chronic epilepsy. Cord blood is an important source of adult stem cells for the treatment of neurological disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (HUCBC) transplanted into rats after induction of SE by the administration of lithium and pilocarpine chloride. Transplantation of HUCBC into epileptic rats protected against neuronal loss in the hippocampal subfields CA1, CA3 and in the hilus of the dentate gyrus, up to 300 days after SE induction. Moreover, transplanted rats had reduced frequency and duration of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) 15, 120 and 300 days after the SE. Our study shows that HUCBC provide prominent antiepileptic and neuroprotective effects in the experimental model of epilepsy and reinforces that early interventions can protect the brain against the establishment of epilepsy.
Centro de Biotecnologia e Terapia Celular, Hospital São Rafael, Av. S Rafael, Salvador, BA, 2152-41253-190, Brazil.
Zaquer Suzana Munhoz
ZS
Costa-Ferro
Fernanda
F
de Borba Cunha
Bruno Solano
BS
de Freitas Souza
Marcos Maurício Tosta
MM
Leal
Adelson Alves
AA
da Silva
Telma Ingrid Borges
TI
de Bellis Kühn
Andresa
A
Forte
Eliseo Joji
EJ
Sekiya
Milena Botelho Pereira
MB
Soares
Ricardo Ribeiro
RR
Dos Santos