Adult human bone marrow stromal spheres express neuronal traits in vitro and in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

• Published in: Brain research 2006-08, Vol.1106 (1), p.46-51
• Main Authors: Suon, Sokreine, Yang, Ming, Iacovitti, Lorraine
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - metabolism; Bone marrow; Bone Marrow Transplantation - methods; Cell Death - physiology; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cell Line; Cells, Cultured; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Disease Models, Animal; Dopamine; Dopamine - metabolism; GABA; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - metabolism; Graft Survival - drug effects; Graft Survival - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; Nerve Growth Factors - pharmacology; Nerve Regeneration - drug effects; Nerve Regeneration - physiology; Nerve Tissue Proteins - metabolism; Neurology; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - metabolism; Organic mental disorders. Neuropsychology; Parkinson's disease; Parkinsonian Disorders - metabolism; Parkinsonian Disorders - physiopathology; Parkinsonian Disorders - therapy; Progenitor cell; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Rats; Short Communication; Spheroids, Cellular - cytology; Spheroids, Cellular - metabolism; Spheroids, Cellular - transplantation; Stem Cell Transplantation - methods; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - drug effects; Stem Cells - metabolism; Stromal Cells - cytology; Stromal Cells - drug effects; Stromal Cells - metabolism; Stromal Cells - transplantation; Transdifferentiation; Transplantation; Treatment Failure
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240
• DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.05.109

Adult human bone marrow stromal cells (hMSCs) grown in suspension culture gave rise to spheres of neural progenitor (NP) cells, capable of expressing both dopaminergic (DA) and GABAergic (GABA) traits. After transplantation into the Parkinsonian rat, human NPs and neurons were present at 2 weeks. Although no DA neurons appeared to survive transplantation, there were abundant GABA neurons present in the graft. By 4 weeks, however, all cells had died. Finding ways to prolong survival and promote the appropriate neurotransmitter phenotype is essential if hMSCs are to be clinically useful.