en
Scientific article
Open access
English

Enhancement of Striatal Dopaminergic Function Following Autologous Neural Cell Ecosystems (ANCE) Transplantation in a Non-Human Primate Model of Parkinson's Disease

Publication date2017
Abstract

Objective: Previous evidence was provided that parkinsonian monkeys exhibited significant though incomplete behavioral recovery following a cell therapy consisting of auto-transplantation of adult neural progenitor cells. The aim of the present study was to assess for the first time in this parkinsonian non-human primate model the striatal dopaminergic function, in parallel to further behavioral assessment. In other words, is the behavioral recovery associated to a reversal of dopaminergic function despite the auto-transplanted cells are not dopaminergic. Methods: Striatal dopaminergic function and motor behavior (spontaneous motion activities) were monitored in adult parkinsonian macaques in relation to autologous neural cell ecosystem (ANCE) transplantation. In four MPTP intoxicated macaques, adult progenitor cells derived from cortical biopsies were re-implanted in the same animal after a phase of spontaneous functional recovery. The function of the striatal dopaminergic system was assessed using 18F-DOPA positron tomography imaging and the motor function was quantified. Results: Two parkinsonian animals exhibited severe motor symptoms, which were moderate and transient in two other monkeys. 18F-DOPA striatal uptake decreased by 80% in three animals, consistent with losses of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra and reduced striatal density of dopaminergic projections. Six months after autologous transplantation, all animals improved their motor functions. This functional recovery was largely consistent with positron emission tomography results showing some recovery of 18F-DOPA striatal uptake toward baseline value following transplantation. Conclusion: The present data confirm that symptoms are variable across individual parkinsonian monkeys and that autologous neural cell ecosystem transplantation indeed attenuates parkinsonian motor symptoms. Yet the present study provides for the first time evidence in favor of an increase in the striatal dopaminergic activity that correlates with motor recovery in this novel therapeutic approach, although the implanted cells are not dopaminergic.

Keywords
  • F-DOPA PET scan
  • MPTP
  • Macaque monkeys
  • Cell therapy
  • Motor behaviour
  • TH-immunocytochemistry
Citation (ISO format)
BORGOGNON, Simon Borgognon et al. Enhancement of Striatal Dopaminergic Function Following Autologous Neural Cell Ecosystems (ANCE) Transplantation in a Non-Human Primate Model of Parkinson’s Disease. In: Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinsonism, 2017, vol. 7, n° 5. doi: 10.4172/2161-0460.1000383
Main files (1)
Article (Published version)
Identifiers
ISSN of the journal2161-0460
621views
213downloads

Technical informations

Creation17.05.2018 12:39:00
First validation17.05.2018 12:39:00
Update time15.03.2023 08:16:32
Status update15.03.2023 08:16:31
Last indexation12.02.2024 11:32:56
All rights reserved by Archive ouverte UNIGE and the University of GenevaunigeBlack