Parthenogenetic cells against Parkinson's disease
A group of researchers from a number of US institutions, working under the leadership of Dr. Russell Kern from the International Stem Cell Corporation in Carlsbad, California, demonstrated that transplantation of neural stem cells derived from human partogenetic cells to primates with simulated Parkinson's disease contributed to the improvement of many clinical parameters of the disease.
Parkinson's disease is an age-related neurodegenerative disease characterized by a pronounced loss of functionality of the basal nuclei of the brain, leading to the death of dopamergic neurons. While dopamine-enhancing drugs such as levodopa (L-DOPA) provide temporary clinical improvement in a number of symptoms, their use can cause severe side effects. Experts believe that stem cell therapy is a viable alternative, but they note that, despite the positive results of preclinical studies, the use of such approaches leads to very different results.
In search of an ideal, the authors stopped at human partogenetic cells, since these cells obtained from unfertilized oocytes have the characteristics of human embryonic stem cells, but are not isolated from potentially viable embryos. Their earlier studies showed that these cells can be differentiated into multipotent neural stem cells using chemical agents. And when administered to rodents and primates with simulated Parkinson's disease, such neural stem cells (cnSCS) obtained from human partogenetic cells they successfully took root, remained viable for a long time and increased the level of dopamine in the brain.
As part of the latest work, the duration of which was more than 12 months, the researchers introduced cpNSC into the brains of African green macaques with clinical symptoms of moderate and severe Parkinson's disease. The cells obtained in compliance with the requirements of good manufacturing practice were injected bilaterally (from both sides) into the striatum (striatum) and the black substance of animals against the background of the action of immunosuppressive drugs.
The transplantation was well tolerated by the animals and did not cause dyskinesia (motor disorders), as well as without the formation of tumors, fragments of ectopic tissue and other serious side effects associated with the injected material.
According to the data obtained, compared with animals of the control group, the introduction of cpNSC contributed to the improvement of behavioral symptoms, an increase in the concentration of dopamine in the striatum, an increase in the number of dopaminergic neurons, and also induced the expression of genes and signaling mechanisms, the reduced activity of which is characteristic of Parkinson's disease.
Experts believe that the clinical use of neural stem cells derived from human parthenogenetic cells can open up new possibilities in the treatment of not only Parkinson's disease, but also many other diseases.
Article by Gonzalez R. et al. Neural stem cells derived from human parthenogenetic stem cells engrave and promote recovery in a nonhuman primate model of Parkinson's disease published in the journal Cell Transplantation.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru Based on the materials of the International Stem Cell Corporation: International Stem Cell Corporation Announces Publication of Preclinical Results Demonstrating Treatment of Parkinson's Disease in Cell Transplantation.
20.06.2016