Human mesenchymal stem cell grafts engineered to release adenosine reduce chronic seizures in a mouse model of CA3-selective epileptogenesis

Abstract

A novel generation of silk-based brain implants engineered to release adenosine was recently shown to provide robust seizure suppression in kindled rats. As a first step to develop stem cell-coated silk-based 3D-scaffolds for the therapeutic long-term delivery of adenosine we engineered human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to release adenosine. Here we demonstrate reduction of chronic seizures in a mouse model of CA3-selective epileptogenesis after infrahippocampal transplantation of adenosine-releasing hMSCs.