Endometrial stem cells for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and more
Researchers from Yale University, working under the leadership of Hugh S. Taylor, have demonstrated that endometrial stem cells injected into the brains of mice with artificially induced Parkinson's disease take over the functions of cells that died as a result of the disease.
The results of the work are published in the preliminary on-line version of the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine in the article "Endometrial stem cell transplantation restores dopamine production in a Parkinson's disease model".
Parkinson's disease, manifested by a violation of voluntary movements, develops as a result of the loss of brain neurons producing the neurotransmitter dopamine, which provides the transmission of nerve impulses coordinating the body's movements.
The authors isolated stem cells from the endometrium – the tissue lining the inner surface of the uterus – of nine women who do not suffer from Parkinson's disease. After that, they confirmed the ability of these cells to transform into dopamine-producing neurons in the laboratory.
After that, they injected non–specialized endometrial cells into the striatum, a structure located deep in the brain tissues and playing an important role in providing a sense of balance and coordination of movements, in mice with simulated Parkinson's disease. An analysis of the striped bodies of animals carried out five weeks after the procedure showed that the implanted stem cells populated not only the striped body itself, but also the area adjacent to it – the black substance. In Parkinson's disease (as well as in the mouse model of the disease), the black substance produces an abnormally low amount of dopamine. The researchers found that the stem cells integrated into the brain tissue transformed into dopamine-producing neurons, which led to a partial restoration of the normal level of this neurotransmitter in the brain.
The authors did not conduct long-term observation of animals in order to identify possible long-term side effects, and also did not evaluate the effect of stem cell transplantation on the motor abilities of animals. They emphasize that before the introduction of the new technique into clinical practice, even more work needs to be done to verify its effectiveness and safety.
The researchers injected endometrial stem cells into both immunodeficient and normal mice with equal success. This indicates a low immunogenicity of endometrial cells and, accordingly, a minimal probability of rejection reactions during transplantation of donor material. Taylor notes that women can act as donors of autologous stem cells, which completely removes the question of immunological incompatibility. In addition, the creation of cryobanks of such cells will facilitate the selection of the most compatible cells for the treatment of men with Parkinson's disease.
The endometrial tissue is renewed at the beginning of each menstrual cycle, which ensures the extreme ease and safety of obtaining large quantities of endometrial stem cells. Even after menopause, women taking estrogen-containing drugs are able to generate a new endometrium.
To date, the endometrium is the most accessible source of stem cells, the isolation of which does not require surgical intervention. Experts believe that the results obtained by the authors are only the tip of the iceberg and that in the future endometrial stem cells will be used to treat a large number of diseases.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on materials from NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: Endometrial Stem Cells Restore Brain Dopamine Levels.
14.05.2010