2012年12月4日讯 /生物谷BIOON/ --科学家利用猴子骨髓干细胞诱导出了多巴胺能神经元。
帕金森氏病（Parkinson's disease）是一种中枢神经系统退行性疾病，其特征是震颤、强直、运动缓慢、行走困难。该病是由于多巴胺能神经元（dopaminergic neurons）的丢失所致。多巴胺神经元可产生神经递质多巴胺（dopamine）。帕金森氏症研究的主要目标之一是，开发一种多巴胺能神经元替代物。
在一项新的研究中，日本神户分子影像科学RIKEN中心研究员Takuya Hayashi博士领导的团队，利用猴子的骨髓干细胞诱导出了多巴胺能神经元。这些干细胞从一个标准的骨髓穿刺中获得，然后利用一种生长因子处理，定向诱导为多巴胺能神经元。
干细胞供体猴子用一种化学物质诱导出帕金森氏病，随后移植来源于其自身骨髓干细胞的新多巴胺能神经元。移植后，猴子机能缺陷表现出显著的改善。
该项研究证明，来源于成体骨髓干细胞的多巴胺能神经元可被安全地用于帕金森氏症猴子运动机能的改善。研究成果已发表于Journal of Clinical Investigation杂志。（生物谷bioon.com）
编译自：Stem Cell-Derived Dopaminergic Neurons Rescue Motor Defects in Parkinsonian Monkeys
doi:10.1172/JCI62516
PMC:
PMID:
Autologous mesenchymal stem cell–derived dopaminergic neurons function in parkinsonian macaques.
Takuya Hayashi, Shohei Wakao, Masaaki Kitada, et al
Abstract：A cell-based therapy for the replacement of dopaminergic neurons has been a long-term goal in Parkinson’s disease research. Here, we show that autologous engraftment of A9 dopaminergic neuron-like cells induced from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) leads to long-term survival of the cells and restoration of motor function in hemiparkinsonian macaques. Differentiated MSCs expressed markers of A9 dopaminergic neurons and released dopamine after depolarization in vitro. The differentiated autologous cells were engrafted in the affected portion of the striatum. Animals that received transplants showed modest and gradual improvements in motor behaviors. Positron emission tomography (PET) using [11C]-CFT, a ligand for the dopamine transporter (DAT), revealed a dramatic increase in DAT expression, with a subsequent exponential decline over a period of 7 months. Kinetic analysis of the PET findings revealed that DAT expression remained above baseline levels for over 7 months. Immunohistochemical evaluations at 9 months consistently demonstrated the existence of cells positive for DAT and other A9 dopaminergic neuron markers in the engrafted striatum. These data suggest that transplantation of differentiated autologous MSCs may represent a safe and effective cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
