Publication
Title
Spatiotemporal evolution of early innate immune responses triggered by neural stem cell grafting
Author
Abstract
Introduction Transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) is increasingly suggested to become part of future therapeutic approaches to improve functional outcome of various central nervous system disorders. However, recently it has become clear that only a small fraction of grafted NSCs display long-term survival in the (injured) adult mouse brain. Given the clinical invasiveness of NSC grafting into brain tissue, profound characterisation and understanding of early post-transplantation events is imperative to claim safety and efficacy of cell-based interventions. Methods Here, we applied in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and post-mortem quantitative histological analysis to determine the localisation and survival of grafted NSCs at early time points post-transplantation. Results An initial dramatic cell loss (up to 80% of grafted cells) due to apoptosis could be observed within the first 24 hours post-implantation, coinciding with a highly hypoxic NSC graft environment. Subsequently, strong spatiotemporal microglial and astroglial cell responses were initiated, which stabilised by day 5 post-implantation and remained present during the whole observation period. Moreover, the increase in astrocyte density was associated with a high degree of astroglial scarring within and surrounding the graft site. During the two-week follow up in this study, the NSC graft site underwent extensive remodelling with NSC graft survival further declining to around 1% of the initial number of grafted cells. Conclusions The present study quantitatively describes the early post-transplantation events following NSC grafting in the adult mouse brain and warrants that such intervention is directly associated with a high degree of cell loss, subsequently followed by strong glial cell responses.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Stem cell research & therapy
Publication
2012
ISSN
1757-6512
DOI
10.1186/SCRT147
Volume/pages
3 (2012) , p. 1-10
Article Reference
56
ISI
000314215100001
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Imaging of Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Diseases (INMIND).
Neural Stem Cells: molecular and physiological control of in vivo migration and differentiation.
Characterisation of innate immune responses in the central nervous system: modulation towards immunological acceptance of allogeneic cellular grafts.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 05.03.2013
Last edited 02.10.2024
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