Amniotic mesenchymal stem cells display neurovascular tropism and aid in the recovery of injured peripheral nerves.
Recently, we reported that human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMMs) possess great angiogenic potential. In this study, we determined whether local injection of AMMs ameliorates peripheral neuropathy. AMMs were transplanted into injured sciatic nerves. AMM injection promoted significant recovery of motor nerve conduction velocity and voltage amplitude compared to human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. AMM implantation also augmented blood perfusion and increased intraneural vascularity. Whole-mount fluorescent imaging analysis demonstrated that AMMs exhibited higher engraftment and endothelial incorporation abilities in the sciatic nerve. In addition, the higher expression of pro-angiogenic factors was detected in AMMs injected into the peripheral nerve. Therefore, these data provide novel therapeutic and mechanistic insights into stem cell biology, and AMM transplantation may represent an alternative therapeutic option for treating peripheral neuropathy.
Department of Neurology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
YongNan
Y
Li
Longzhe
L
Guo
Hyun Sook
HS
Ahn
Moo Hyun
MH
Kim
Sung-Whan
SW
Kim
D000650:Amnion / Q000166:cytology*; D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D064926:Neurophysiological Monitoring; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018523:Tropism
D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents; D012333:RNA, Messenger
amniotic stem cells; angiogenesis; cell therapy; engraftment; peripheral nerve