Murine mesenchymal stem cells transplanted to the central nervous system of neonatal versus adult mice exhibit distinct engraftment kinetics and express receptors that guide neuronal cell migration.

Full Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have demonstrated efficacy as cellular vectors for treating a variety of nervous system disorders. Nevertheless, few studies have quantified MSC engraftment levels or explored the mechanisms that promote their survival and migration in nervous tissue. In this study, we compared the engraftment kinetics and anatomical distribution of murine, male MSCs injected intracranially into neonatal versus adult female mice using a real-time PCR assay that targets the mouse SRY gene. These analyses revealed that MSCs exhibited low but equivalent engraftment levels in the central nervous system (CNS) of neonatal and adult transplant recipients at 12 days post-injection. However, MSC engraftment levels were significantly greater at 60 and 150 days post-transplantation in neonates as compared to adults. Despite these differences, engrafted MSCs were widely distributed along the neuraxis of the CNS in both transplant groups. Collectively, these data indicate that proliferation, but not engraftment and migration, of MSCs in brain are regulated by the host microenvironment. Using a genomics approach, we also identified MSC subpopulations that express neural adhesion proteins and receptors that regulate neuronal cell migration in brain, including cadherin 2, neurexin 1, ninjurin 1, neogenin 1, neuropilin 2, and roundabout homolog 1 and 4. Functional studies indicate these proteins confer cell adhesion and migration of MSCs in response to the appropriate chemoattractant. On the basis of these findings, we conclude that the unique molecular composition of MSC subpopulations imparts to them an inherent capacity to engraft and migrate in brain. These subpopulations may represent more potent cellular vectors for treating CNS disorders.

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Author information

Author/s: Phinney, Donald G (DG); Baddoo, Melody (M); Dutreil, Maria (M); Gaupp, Dina (D); Lai, Wen Tzu (WT); Isakova, Iryna A (IA);

Affiliation: Center for Gene Therapy, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. dphinne(-atsign-)tulane.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Stem cells and development (Stem Cells Dev), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jun; vol 15 (issue 3) : pp 437-47

Dates: Created 2006/07/18; Completed 2006/08/21;

PMID: 16846379, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aging
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Brain - cytology
Cell Adhesion
Cell Adhesion Molecules - metabolism
Chemotaxis
Female
Gene Expression Profiling
In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence

In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
Kinetics
Male
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation
Mesenchymal Stem Cells - cytology; metabolism
Mice
Neurons - cytology
Receptors, Cell Surface - metabolism
Reproducibility of Results
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Associated Chemicals: Cell Adhesion Molecules (0) ; Receptors, Cell Surface (0)

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