Intrastriatal grafts of mesenchymal stem cells in adult intact rats can elevate tyrosine hydroxylase expression and dopamine levels |
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| Authors: | Guang‐Zhen Jin Su‐Jin Cho Young‐S Lee Myeong‐Ok Kim Dong‐Woo Cho Il‐Keun Kong |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Division of Mechanical Engineering for Emerging Technology, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790‐784, South Korea;2. Division of Applied Life Science (BK21), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660‐701, South Korea;3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790‐784, South Korea;4. Department of Integrative Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790‐784, South Korea;5. Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Graduate School of Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660‐701, South Korea |
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| Abstract: | MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells) derived from the bone marrow have shown to be a promising source of stem cells in a therapeutic strategy of neurodegenerative disorder. Also, MSCs can enhance the TH (tyrosine hydroxylase) expression and DA (dopamine) content in catecholaminergic cells by in vitro co‐culture system. In the present study, we investigated the effect of intrastriatal grafts of MSCs on TH protein and gene levels and DA content in adult intact rats. When MSCs were transplanted into the striatum of normal rats, the grafted striatum not only had significantly higher TH protein and mRNA levels, but also significantly higher DA content than the untransplanted striatum. Meanwhile, the grafted MSCs differentiated into neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes; however, TH‐positive cells could not be detected in our study. These experimental results offer further evidence that MSCs are a promising candidate for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. |
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| Keywords: | dopamine mesenchymal stem cells transplantation tyrosine hydroxylase |
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