Neurotrophin 3 transduction augments remyelinating and immunomodulatory capacity of neural stem cells

Mol Ther. 2014 Feb;22(2):440-450. doi: 10.1038/mt.2013.241. Epub 2013 Oct 17.

Abstract

Neural stem cells (NSCs) have therapeutic potential in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS); however, to date, their use has resulted in only limited clinical and pathological improvement. To enhance their therapeutic capacity, in the present study, we transduced bone marrow-derived NSCs (BM-NSCs) with neurotrophin 3 (NT-3), a potent neurotrophic factor that is both neuroprotective and immunomodulatory. We found that BM-NSCs transduced with NT-3 reduced central nervous system (CNS) inflammation and neurological deficits in ongoing EAE significantly more than conventional NSC therapy, and, in addition, had the following advantages: (i) enhanced BM-NSC proliferation and differentiation into oligodendrocytes and neurons, as well as inhibited differentiation into astrocytes, thus promoting remyelination and neuronal repopulation, and reducing astrogliosis; (ii) enhanced anti-inflammatory capacity of BM-NSCs, thus more effectively suppressing CNS inflammation and accelerating remyelination; (iii) the easy accessibility of BM-NSCs provides another advantage over brain-derived NSCs for MS therapy; and (iv) a novel Tet-on system we used enables efficient control of NT-3 expression. Thus, our study provides a novel approach to break the vicious inflammation-demyelination cycle, and could pave the way to an easily accessible and highly effective therapy for CNS inflammatory demyelination.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Retracted Publication

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Astrocytes / cytology
  • Astrocytes / metabolism
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
  • Bone Marrow Cells / pathology
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / genetics
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / biosynthesis
  • Immunomodulation*
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Inflammation / immunology
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • Interleukin-10 / biosynthesis
  • Mice
  • Mucolipidoses
  • Myelin Basic Protein / biosynthesis
  • Myelin Sheath / metabolism*
  • Neural Stem Cells / cytology
  • Neural Stem Cells / physiology*
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurotrophin 3 / genetics*
  • Neurotrophin 3 / metabolism
  • Oligodendroglia / cytology
  • Oligodendroglia / metabolism
  • Transduction, Genetic*

Substances

  • Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Myelin Basic Protein
  • Neurotrophin 3
  • Interleukin-10