Intracerebral transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells into acid sphingomyelinase–deficient mice delays the onset of neurological abnormalities and extends their life span
Hee Kyung Jin, Janet E. Carter, George W. Huntley, Edward H. Schuchman
Hee Kyung Jin, Janet E. Carter, George W. Huntley, Edward H. Schuchman
View: Text | PDF
Article Genetics

Intracerebral transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells into acid sphingomyelinase–deficient mice delays the onset of neurological abnormalities and extends their life span

Abstract

Types A and B Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) are lysosomal storage disorders resulting from loss of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) activity. We have used a knockout mouse model of NPD (ASMKO mice) to evaluate the effects of direct intracerebral transplantation of bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on the progression of neurological disease in this disorder. MSCs were transduced with a retroviral vector to overexpress ASM and were injected into the hippocampus and cerebellum of 3-week-old ASMKO pups. Transplanted cells migrated away from the injection sites and survived at least 6 months after transplantation. Seven of 8 treated mice, but none of the untreated controls, survived for ≥ 7 months after transplant. Survival times were greater in sex-matched than in sex-mismatched transplants. Transplantation significantly delayed the Purkinje cell loss that is characteristic of NPD, although the protective effect declined with distance from the injection site. Overall ASM activity in brain homogenates was low, but surviving Purkinje cells contained the retrovirally expressed human enzyme, and transplanted animals showed a reduction in cerebral sphingomyelin. These results reveal the potential of treating neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders by intracerebral transplantation of bone marrow–derived MSCs.

Authors

Hee Kyung Jin, Janet E. Carter, George W. Huntley, Edward H. Schuchman

×

Figure 8

Options: View larger image (or click on image) Download as PowerPoint
Expression of human ASM and depletion of sphingomyelin in the brains of ...
Expression of human ASM and depletion of sphingomyelin in the brains of transplanted ASMKO mice. The sections shown were taken from 4-month-old animals, 75 μm from the cerebellar injection site. (a) Anti–human ASM antibodies were used to detect the retrovirally expressed enzyme in cerebellar sections of normal, untreated ASMKO, and treated ASMKO animals. Note that a strong positive (brown) signal was seen in Purkinje cells from the treated animals. No signal was seen in Purkinje cells from normal animals, demonstrating the specificity of the reaction. (b) The sphingomyelin-specific binding protein, lysenin, was used to detect this lipid in cerebellar sections from normal, untreated ASMKO, and treated ASMKO animals. Note that the sections from untreated ASMKO animals had a very strong lysenin signal compared with normal or treated ASMKO animals.