title: Characterization and therapeutic evaluation of a Nestin⁺ CNP⁺ NG2⁺ cell population on mouse spinal cord injury.
abstract: The NG2 chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan-expressing neural cells (NG2 cells) have originally been considered as oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). However, recent findings on their diverse functions and lineage heterogeneity demonstrated that the NG2 cells contain various sub-populations whose concrete features and therapeutic potential yet remained elucidated. In the present study, we characterized a Nestin(+) 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNP)(+) NG2(+) subpopulation from embryonic rat cerebral cortex. The Nestin(+) CNP(+) NG2(+) cells exhibited remarkable progenitor characteristics. Having been immortalized by human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the life span of Nestin(+) CNP(+) NG2(+) cells was extended to 230 population doublings (PDs). With immortalized NG2 cells, we demonstrated their differentiation capacities to oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and neurons. Furthermore, transplanted into injured spinal cord of a mouse model, they were able to promote remyelination and neuronal regeneration, thereby enhancing the functional recovery. Our findings suggest that the Nestin(+) CNP(+) NG2(+) progenitor cells could be a good alternative cell source of cell therapy for neurological disorders.
authors: Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China.
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Liu
authors: Genomics & Genetics Division, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors: Si
authors: S
authors: Zhang
authors: Genomics & Genetics Division, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors: Haijie
authors: H
authors: Yang
authors: Genomics & Genetics Division, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors: Peijun
authors: P
authors: Ju
authors: Genomics & Genetics Division, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors: Yinyan
authors: Y
authors: Xia
authors: Genomics & Genetics Division, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Shi
authors: Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors: Tse Hui
authors: TH
authors: Lim
authors: Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors: Alvin St
authors: AS
authors: Lim
authors: Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors: Fengyi
authors: F
authors: Liang
authors: Genomics & Genetics Division, School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Electronic address: zwfxxmu@hotmail.com.
authors: Zhiwei
authors: Z
authors: Feng
mesh_terms: D063309:2',3'-Cyclic Nucleotide 3'-Phosphodiesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D064231:Nestin / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4
chemical_list: D063309:2',3'-Cyclic Nucleotide 3'-Phosphodiesterase; D000941:Antigens; D064231:Nestin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D000099216:Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4
keywords: Cell transplantation; Cerebral cortex; Multipotency; NG2; Neuronal regeneration; Progenitors; Remyelination; Spinal cord injury; Telomerase reverse transcriptase