Abstract
Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) have been shown to mediate remyelination and to stimulate axonal regeneration in a number of in vivo rodent spinal cord studies. However, whether OECs display similar properties in the primate model has not been tested so far. In the present study, we thus transplanted highly-purified OECs isolated from transgenic pigs expressing the alpha1,2 fucosyltransferase gene (H-transferase or HT) gene into a demyelinated lesion of the African green monkey spinal cord. Four weeks posttransplantation, robust remyelination was found in 62.5% of the lesion sites, whereas there was virtually no remyelination in the nontransplanted controls. This together with the immunohistochemical demonstration of the grafted cells within the lesioned area confirmed that remyelination was indeed achieved by OECs. Additional in vitro assays demonstrated 1) that the applied cell suspension consisted of >98% OECs, 2) that the majority of the cells expressed the transgene, and 3) that expression of the HT gene reduced complement activation more than twofold compared with the nontransgenic control. This is the first demonstration that xenotransplantation of characterized OECs into the primate spinal cord results in remyelination.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.