Olfactory mucosa stem cells: An available candidate for the treatment of the Parkinson's disease

Improvement of spatial learning and memory deficits by intranasal administration of human olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells in an Alzheimer's disease rat model

Mesenchymal stem cells therapy provides a new perspective of therapeutic approaches in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of intranasally transplanted human "olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells" (OE-MSCs) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) rats. In this study, we isolated OE-MSCs from human olfactory lamina propria and phenotypically characterized them using immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. The undifferentiated OE-MSCs were transplanted either by intranasal (IN) or intrahippocampal (IH) injection to rat models of AD, which were induced by injecting amyloid-beta (Aβ) intrahippocampally. Behavioral, histological, and molecular assessments were performed after a three-month recovery period. Based on the results, intranasal administration of OE-MSCs significantly reduced Aβ accumulation and neuronal loss, improved learning and memory impairments, and increased levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and NMDAR (N-methyl-D-Aspartate receptors) in the AD rat model. These changes were more significant in animals who received OE-MSCs by intranasal injection. The results of this study suggest that OE-MSCs have the potential to enhance cognitive function in AD, possibly mediated by BDNF and the NMDA receptors.

Isolation, in vitro expansion and characterization of ovine fetal adnexa-derived mesenchymal stem cells reveals a source dependent trilineage differentiation and growth kinetics

This study was designed to isolate, cultivate, characterize and evaluate the growth kinetics of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from fetal adnexa of sheep. The gravid uteri of ewes were collected from a local abattoir. The MSCs isolated from different fetal regions (Wharton's Jelly [oWJ], cord blood [oCB], amniotic fluid [oAF] and amniotic Sac [oAS]) were expanded in vitro and characterized for surface and pluripotency markers. The growth kinetics of MSCs was compared at 3rd and 5th passages. Similarly, the colony-forming efficiency (CFE) assay was performed at 3rd passage. The fetal adnexa-derived ovine MSCs showed the expression of CD73, CD90 and CD105. Similarly, the MSCs also expressed pluripotency markers, OCT4 and SOX2. Besides, cells also differentiated into osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic lineages. The MSCs in culture showed a typical growth curve with initial lag phase, an exponential phase, a plateau phase and a decline phase. The growth rate was highest in oAF-MSCs at P5. The population doubling time (PDT) was highest in oAS-MSCs (87.28 ± 3.24 h), whereas the colony number was highest in oAF-MSCs (53.67 ± 4.06). The study reveals that oAF-MSCs were superior which outperformed other MSCs indicating that oAF-derived MSCs could be utilized for regenerative medicine.

Macrophage cell morphology-imprinted substrates can modulate mesenchymal stem cell behaviors and macrophage M1/M2 polarization for wound healing applications

Mesenchymal stem cells and macrophages (MQ) are two very important cells involved in the normal wound healing process. It is well understood that topological cues and mechanical factors can lead to different responses in stem cells and MQ by influencing their shape, cytoskeleton proliferation, migration, and differentiation, which play an essential role in the success or failure of biomaterial implantation and more importantly wound healing. On the other hand, the polarization of MQ from proinflammatory (M1) to prohealing (M2) phenotypes has a critical role in the acceleration of wound healing. In this study, the morphology of different MQ subtypes (M0, M1, and M2) was imprinted on a silicon surface (polydimethylsiloxane [PDMS]) to prepare a nano-topography cell-imprinted substrate with the ability to induce anti-inflammatory effects on the mouse adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and RAW264.7 monocyte cell line (MO). The gene expression profiles and flow cytometry of MQ revealed that the cell shape microstructure promoted the MQ phenotypes according to the specific shape of each pattern. The ELISA results were in agreement with the gene expression profiles. The ADSCs on the patterned PDMS exhibited remarkably different shapes from no-patterned PDMS. The MOs grown on M2 morphological patterns showed a significant increase in expression and section of anti-inflammatory cytokine compared with M0 and M1 patterns. The ADSCs homing in niches heavily deformed the cytoskeletal, which is probably why the gene expression and phenotype unexpectedly changed. In conclusion, wound dressings with M2 cell morphology-induced surfaces are suggested as excellent anti-inflammatory and antiscarring dressings.

Chitosan-Placental ECM Composite Thermos-Responsive Hydrogel as a Biomimetic Wound Dressing with Angiogenic Property

Attempts are being made to develop an ideal wound dressing with excellent biomechanical and biological properties. Here, a thermos-responsive hydrogel is fabricated using chitosan (CTS) with various concentrations (1%, 2.5%, and 5% w/v) of solubilized placental extracellular matrix (ECM) and 20% β-glycerophosphate to optimize a smart wound dressing hydrogel with improved biological behavior. The thermo-responsive CTS (TCTS) alone or loaded with ECMs (ECM-TCTS) demonstrate uniform morphology using SEM. TCTS and ECM1%-TCTS and ECM2.5%-TCTS show a gelation time of 5 min at 37 °C, while no gel formation is observed at 4 and 25 °C. ECM5%-TCTS forms gel at both 25 and 37 °C. The degradation and swelling ratios increase as the ECM content of the hydrogel increase. All the constructs show excellent biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo, however, the hydrogels with a higher concentration of ECM demonstrate better cell adhesion for fibroblast cells and induce expression of angiogenic factors (VEGF and VEGFR) from HUVEC. Only the ECM5%-TCTS has antibacterial activity against Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606. The data obtained from the current study suggest the ECM2.5%-TCTS as an optimized smart biomimetic wound dressing with improved angiogenic properties now promises to proceed with pre-clinical and clinical investigations.

Coculture of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells/macrophages on decellularized placental sponge promotes differentiation into the osteogenic lineage

BACKGROUND

Several factors like three-dimensional microstructure, growth factors, cytokines, cell-cell communication, and coculture with functional cells can affect the stem cells behavior and differentiation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of decellularized placental sponge as adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) and macrophage coculture systems, and guiding the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells.

METHODS

The decellularized placental sponge (DPS) was fabricated, and its mechanical characteristics were evaluated using degradation assay, swelling rate, and pore size determination. Its structure was also investigated using hematoxylin and eosin staining and scanning electron microscopy. Mouse peritoneal macrophages and AD-MSCs were isolated and characterized. The differentiation potential of AD-MSCs co-cultured with macrophages was evaluated by RT-qPCR of osteogenic genes on the surface of DPS. The in vivo biocompatibility of DPS was determined by subcutaneous implantation of scaffold and histological evaluations of the implanted site.

RESULTS

The DPS had 67% porosity with an average pore size of 238 μm. The in vitro degradation assay showed around 25% weight loss during 30 days in PBS. The swelling rate was around 50% during 72 h. The coculture of AD-MSCs/macrophages on the DPS showed a significant upregulation of four differentiation osteogenic lineage genes in AD-MSCs on days 14 and 21 and a significantly higher mineralization rate than the groups without DPS. Subcutaneous implantation of DPS showed in vivo biocompatibility of scaffold during 28 days follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest the decellularized placental sponge as an excellent bone substitute providing a naturally derived matrix substrate with biostructure close to the natural bone that guided differentiation of stem cells toward bone cells and a promising coculture substrate for crosstalk of macrophage and mesenchymal stem cells in vitro.

A TGF-α and TGF-β1 Poloxamer-based micelle/hydrogel composite: A promising novel candidate for the treatment of anosmia

Anosmia is the inability to smell or loss of the sense of smell. It can reduce your ability to detect the smell of smoke, gas leaks, or spoiled food, as well as hinder the quality of life related to social interactions and feelings of well-being. In the current study, a drug delivery composite was designed to cure anosmia and its efficiency in delivering transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) to the nasal cavity was evaluated. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a model protein for encapsulation into Poloxamers 407 micelles. For the optimization of the BSA-micelle formulation, a two-parameter five-level central composite design (CCD) was applied. The BSA-micelle was optimized with a particle size of 41 nm, drug loading of 8%, and encapsulation efficiency of 74%. Further, the BSA-micelle was characterized by FESEM, TEM, and FTIR. The analysis of release profile suggested high-paced free BSA release compared to the gradual and prolonged release of BSA-micelle/hydrogel and BSA-micelles. The cytotoxicity assay demonstrated the safety of TGF-α and TGF-β1-micelles/hydrogel. Moreover, it was observed that TGF-α and TGF-β1 within the hydrogels promote cellular viability and human olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cell OE-MSCs proliferation. In conclusion, According to the results of our study, the TGF-α and TGF-β1-micelle/hydrogel-based delivery system provides a suitable alternative for anosmia treatment.

Exosome loaded hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffold promotes bone regeneration in calvarial defect: an in vivo study

In this study, hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds were synthesized and characterized, following the osteogenic and angiogenic effects of HA scaffolds with or without endometrial mesenchymal stem stromal cells (hEnSCs) derived Exosomes were investigated in rat animal model with calvaria defect. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of HA powder formation was confirmed with Joint Corporation of Powder Diffraction Standards (JCPDS) files numbers of 34-0010 and 24-0033A and Ball mill, and sintering manufactured Nano-size particles. Obtained results containing FE-SEM images presented that the surface of scaffolds has a rough and porous structure, which makes them ideal and appropriate for tissue engineering. Additionally, the XRD showed that these scaffolds exhibited a crystallized structure without undergoing phase transformation; meanwhile, manufactured scaffolds consistently release exosomes; moreover, in vivo findings containing hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, Masson's trichrome staining, and histomorphometric analysis confirmed that our implant has an osteogenic and angiogenic characteristic. So prepared scaffolds containing exosomes can be proposed as a promising substitute in tissue engineering.

A comprehensive review of COVID-19 biology, diagnostics, therapeutics, and disease impacting the central nervous system

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a highly transmissible disease. SARS-CoV-2 is estimated to have infected over 153 million people and to have caused over 3.2 million global deaths since its emergence in December 2019. SARS-CoV-2 is the seventh coronavirus known to infect humans, and like other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 infection is characterized by a variety of symptoms including general flu-like symptoms such as a fever, sore throat, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Severe cases often display signs of pneumonia, lymphopenia, acute kidney injury, cardiac injury, cytokine storms, lung damage, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), multiple organ failure, sepsis, and death. There is evidence that around 30% of COVID-19 cases have central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral nervous system (PNS) symptoms along with or in the absence of the previously mentioned symptoms. In cases of CNS/PNS impairments, patients display dizziness, ataxia, seizure, nerve pain, and loss of taste and/or smell. This review highlights the neurological implications of SARS-CoV-2 and provides a comprehensive summary of the research done on SARS-CoV-2 pathology, diagnosis, therapeutics, and vaccines up to May 5.

Human Olfactory Mucosa Stem Cells Delivery Using a Collagen Hydrogel: As a Potential Candidate for Bone Tissue Engineering

For bone tissue engineering, stem cell-based therapy has become a promising option. Recently, cell transplantation supported by polymeric carriers has been increasingly evaluated. Herein, we encapsulated human olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cells (OE-MSC) in the collagen hydrogel system, and their osteogenic potential was assessed in vitro and in vivo conditions. Collagen type I was composed of four different concentrations of (4 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL, 6 mg/mL, 7 mg/mL). SDS-Page, FTIR, rheologic test, resazurin assay, live/dead assay, and SEM were used to characterize collagen hydrogels. OE-MSCs encapsulated in the optimum concentration of collagen hydrogel and transplanted in rat calvarial defects. The tissue samples were harvested after 4- and 8-weeks post-transplantation and assessed by optical imaging, micro CT, and H&E staining methods. The highest porosity and biocompatibility were confirmed in all scaffolds. The collagen hydrogel with 7 mg/mL concentration was presented as optimal mechanical properties close to the naïve bone. Furthermore, the same concentration illustrated high osteogenic differentiation confirmed by real-time PCR and alizarin red S methods. Bone healing has significantly occurred in defects treated with OE-MSCs encapsulated hydrogels in vivo. As a result, OE-MSCs with suitable carriers could be used as an appropriate cell source to address clinical bone complications.

From Transcriptome to Behavior: Intranasal Injection of Late Passage Human Olfactory Stem Cells Displays Potential in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, which is caused by the loss of dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons. Thus, cell replacement therapy (CRT) might be regarded as an alternative therapy to effectively treat motor functional defects in PD patients. Human olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cells (OE-MSCs) are a novel type of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with a strong tendency to differentiate into DAergic neurons. However, there are various barriers to successful CRT including the proliferation capacity of stem cells at higher passage numbers as well as the route of stem cell delivery. In this regard, we aimed to explore the efficacy of late passage OE-MSC administration through the intranasal (IN) route in PD rat models. Herein, the proliferation capacity of OE-MSCs was compared at early and late passage numbers; then, the results were validated via RNA sequencing analysis. Subsequently, the efficacy of IN injection of late passage OE-MSC in PD models was evaluated. The results manifested the absence of noticeable differences in proliferation capacity and signaling pathways in OE-MSCs at early and late passage numbers. Moreover, it was found that the IN administration of OE-MSCs with a high passage number substantially increased the levels of DAergic markers and improved the motor function in rat models of PD. Overall, our findings suggested that OE-MSCs with a high passage number are a promising CRT candidate due to their fundamental potential to provide a large number of cells with an enormous proliferation capacity. Moreover, they exhibit the high efficiency of IN administration as a noninvasive route of late-passage OE-MSC delivery for CRT, particularly for PD.

Exosome loaded genipin crosslinked hydrogel facilitates full thickness cutaneous wound healing in rat animal model

Full thickness cutaneous wound therapy and regeneration remains a critical challenge in clinical therapeutics. Recent reports have suggested that mesenchymal stem cells exosomes therapy is a promising technology with great potential to efficiently promote tissue regeneration. Multifunctional hydrogel composed of both synthetic materials and natural materials is an effective carrier for exosomes loading. Herein, we constructed a biodegradable, dual-sensitive hydrogel encapsulated human umbilical cord-mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) derived exosomes to facilitate wound healing and skin regeneration process. The materials characterization, exosomes identification, and in vivo full-thickness cutaneous wound healing effect of the hydrogels were performed and evaluated. The in vivo results demonstrated the exosomes loaded hydrogel had significantly improved wound closure, re-epithelialization rates, collagen deposition in the wound sites. More skin appendages were observed in exosomes loaded hydrogel treated wound, indicating the potential to achieve complete skin regeneration. This study provides a new access for complete cutaneous wound regeneration via a genipin crosslinked dual-sensitive hydrogel loading hUCMSCs derived exosomes.

Implantation of human olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells restores locomotion in a rat model of Parkinson's disease

One of the complex neurodegenerative disorders is Parkinson disease (PD). PD is mainly caused by dopaminergic (DAergic) neuron degeneration in the midbrain. The loss of DAergic neurons is considered as a key reason of motor functional defects in PD patients. Cell replacement strategies are considered as an alternative remedy to effectively address neurodegeneration in PD. In this report, we evaluated the restorative effect of human olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells (OE-MSCs) in rat models of PD. Accordingly, human OE-MSCs were isolated and phenotypically characterized by flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. Next, the undifferentiated OE-MSCs were unilaterally transplanted into the striatum of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-lesioned rat models, followed by molecular and histological analyzes as well as assessment of motor skills. Our results displayed that the grafting of OE-MSCs increased the expression of DAergic markers namely dopamine transporter (DAT), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), nuclear receptor related-1 (Nurr1) in a 6-OHDA model compared with that of control, detected by immunohistochemical staining and western blot. Moreover, noticeable improvements in motor coordination, muscle activity and locomotor performance were observed in 6-OHDA model of PD following OE-MSCs transplantation. Taken together, our finding indicates that undifferentiated OE-MSCs might be counted as an appropriate source for cell replacement therapy particularly aimed at PD.

Magnetic Targeting of Human Olfactory Mucosa Stem Cells Following Intranasal Administration: a Novel Approach to Parkinson's Disease Treatment

Among the various therapeutic procedures used for improving PD, stem cell-based therapy has been shown to be a promising method. Olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cells (OE-MSCs) are a great source of stem cells for PD. Also, the intranasal administration (INA) of stem cells to the neural lesion has several advantages over the other approaches to cellular injections. However, improving the efficacy of INA to produce the highest number of cells at the lesion site has always been a controversial issue. For this purpose, this study was designed to apply the magnetically targeted cell delivery (MTCD) approach to OE-MSCs in the injured striatum area through the IN route in order to explore their outcomes in rat models of PD. Animals were randomly classified into four groups including control, PD model, treatment-NTC (treated with INA of non-target cells), and treatment-TC (treated with INA of target cells). The Alg-SPIONs-labeled OE-MSCs were stained successfully using the Prussian blue method with an intracellular iron concentration of 2.73 pg/cell. It was able to reduce signal intensity in the striatum region by increasing the number of these cells, as shown by the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Behavioral evaluation revealed that the administration of OE-MSCs with this novel advanced stem cell therapy alleviated Parkinson's motor dysfunction. Further, histological evaluations confirmed the functional enhancement of dopaminergic neuron cells by the expression of Nurr1, Dopamine transporter (DAT), and paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 3 (TH). Overall, this study showed that INA of OE-MSCs in the MTCD approach enhanced stem cells' therapeutic effects in PD models.

Promoting motor functions in a spinal cord injury model of rats using transplantation of differentiated human olfactory stem cells: A step towards future therapy

Human olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells (hOE-MSCs) derived from the human olfactory mucosa (OM) can be easily isolated and expanded in cultures while their immense plasticity is maintained. To mitigate ethical concerns, the hOE-MSCs can be also transplanted across allogeneic barriers, making them desirable cells for clinical applications. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of administering the hOE-MSCs on a spinal cord injury (SCI) model of rats. These cells were accordingly isolated and cultured, and then treated in the neurobasal medium containing serum-free Dulbecco's Modified Essential Medium (DMEM) and Ham's F-12 Medium (DMEM/F12) with 2% B27 for two days. Afterwards, the pre-induced cells were incubated in N2B27 with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), fibroblast growth factor 8b (FGF8b), sonic hedgehog (SHH), and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) for six days. The efficacy of the induced cells was additionally evaluated using immunocytochemistry (ICC) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The differentiated cells were similarly transplanted into the SC contusions. Functional recovery was further conducted on a weekly basis for eight consecutive weeks. Moreover, cell integration was assessed via conventional histology and ICC, whose results revealed the expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) marker at the induction stage. According to the RT-PCR findings, the highest expression level of insulin gene-enhancer protein (islet-1), oligodendrocyte transcription factor (Olig2), and homeobox protein HB9 was observed at the induction stage. The number of engraftment cells also rose (approximately by 2.5 % ± 0.1) in the motor neuron-like cells derived from the hOE-MSCs-grafted group compared with the OE-MSCs-grafted one. The functional analysis correspondingly revealed that locomotor and sensory scores considerably improved in the rats in the treatment group. These findings suggested that motor neuron-like cells derived from the hOE-MSCs could be utilized as an alternative cell-based therapeutic strategy for SCI.

Olfactory mucosa stem cells delivery via nasal route: a simple way for the treatment of Parkinson disease

Finding a simple and effective way for transferring cells to the brain lesion site with minimum side effects mounts a challenge in cell therapy. Cell delivery via nasal route using the bypassing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) property is a simple and non-invasive strategy without serious complications such as trauma. Therefore, it is a suitable technique to treat neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease (PD). Olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cells (OE-MSCs) located in the lamina propria of olfactory mucosa could be differentiated into dopaminergic neurons under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Thus, OE-MSCs represent a good source of Parkinson's stem cell-based therapy. In this research, we studied thirty male rats (n = 10 in each group) in three control (Ctl), lesion (LE), and intranasal administration (INA) groups to investigate the therapeutic effect of intranasal injection of OE-MSCs in the Parkinson's animal models. To do so, we examined the homing variation of OE-MSCs in different brain regions such as olfactory bulb (OB), cortex, striatum (Str), hippocampus (HPC), and substantia nigra (SN). The results of real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis showed the expression of dopaminergic neuron markers such as PITX3, PAX2, PAX5 (as dopaminergic neurons markers), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and dopamine transporter (DAT) 2 months after INA of 1 × 10⁶ OE-MSCs. The results confirmed that IN OE-MSCs delivery into the central nervous system (CNS) was powerful enough to improve the behavioral functions in the animal models of PD.

Why is olfactory neuroepithelium?

Currently, most cellular therapeutic effects for nervous diseases cannot be proven in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind placebo-control clinical trials, except for a few kinds of cells such as olfactory ensheathing cells. These cells show significant improvements in functional recovery and quality of life for patients with chronic ischemic stroke. Also, olfactory neuron transplantation has promising neurorestorative effects on patients with vascular dementia. Human olfactory neuroepithelium can spontaneously and sustainably regenerate or produce new olfactory neurons and glial cell types for decades or a lifetime. The neurorestorative mechanisms of olfactory ensheathing cells are well known; however, little is known about the neurorestorative mechanisms of olfactory neurons. Therefore, I hypothesize that the neurorestorative mechanisms of olfactory neurons after transplantation: (1) can well migrate where they are needed and become local functional neurons, as they need to compensate or replace; (2) must be regulated by some special molecular factors to elongate their axons, modulate or direct synapses to correctly recognize and connect the target cells, and integrate functions. Based on olfactory neuroepithelium cells displaying the special characterization, neurorestorative mechanisms, clinical therapeutic achievements, and hypotheses of effective mechanisms, they (olfactory ensheathing cells and olfactory neurons) may be the most efficient instruments of neurorestoration.

Effect of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells in Parkinson's Disease Rodent Model: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) has been reported to have beneficial effects in improving behavioral deficits, and rescuing dopaminergic neuron loss in rodent models of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, their pooled effects for dopaminergic neuron have yet to be described.

Objective: To review the neuroprotective effect of naïve BMSCs in rodent models of PD.

Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were searched up to September 30, 2020. Inclusion criteria according to PICOS criteria were as follows: (1) population: rodents; (2) intervention: unmodified BMSCs; (3) comparison: not specified; (4) primary outcome: tyrosine hydroxylase level in the substantia nigra pars compacta and rotational behavior; secondary outcome: rotarod test, and limb function; (5) study: experimental studies. Multiple prespecified subgroup and meta-regression analysis were conducted. Following quality assessment, random effects models were used for this meta-analysis.

Results: Twenty-seven animal studies were included. The median quality score was 4.7 (interquartile range, 2–8). Overall standardized mean difference between animals treated with naïve BMSCs and controls was 2.79 (95% confidence interval: 1.70, 3.87; P < 0.001) for densitometry of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive staining; −1.54 (95% confidence interval: −2.11, −0.98; P < 0.001) for rotational behavior. Significant heterogeneity among studies was observed.

Conclusions: Results of this meta-analysis suggest that naïve BMSCs therapy increased dopaminergic neurons and ameliorated behavioral deficits in rodent models of PD.

Alginate-magnetic short nanofibers 3D composite hydrogel enhances the encapsulated human olfactory mucosa stem cells bioactivity for potential nerve regeneration application

The design of 3D hydrogel constructs to elicit highly controlled cell response is a major field of interest in developing tissue engineering. The bioactivity of encapsulated cells inside pure alginate hydrogel is limited by its relatively inertness. Combining short nanofibers within a hydrogel serves as a promising method to develop a cell friendly environment mimicking the extracellular matrix. In this paper, we fabricated alginate hydrogels incorporating different magnetic short nanofibers (M.SNFs) content for olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells (OE-MSCs) encapsulation. Wet-electrospun gelatin and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) nanocomposite nanofibers were chopped using sonication under optimized conditions and subsequently embedded in alginate hydrogels. The storage modulus of hydrogel without M.SNFs as well as with 1 and 5 mg/mL of M.SNFs were in the range of nerve tissue. For cell encapsulation, OE-MSCs were used as a new hope for neuronal regeneration due to their neural crest origin. Resazurin analyses and LIVE/DEAD staining confirmed that the composite hydrogels containing M.SNFs can preserve the cell viability after 7 days. Moreover, the proliferation rate was enhanced in M.SNF/hydrogels compared to alginate hydrogel. The presence of SPIONs in the short nanofibers can accelerate neural-like differentiation of OE-MSCs rather than the sample without SPIONs.

Olfactory Mucosa Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorate Cerebral Ischemic/Reperfusion Injury Through Modulation of UBIAD1 Expression

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have presented a promising neuroprotective effect in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Olfactory mucosa MSCs (OM-MSCs), a novel source of MSCs located in the human nasal cavity, are easy to obtain and situated for autologous transplantation. The present study was designed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of OM-MSCs on cerebral I/R injury and the possible mechanisms. In the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (t-MCAO) model, excessive oxidative stress and increased swollen mitochondria were observed in the peri-infarct cortex. Intravenous injection of OM-MSCs ameliorated mitochondrial damage and restored oxidant/antioxidant imbalance. Using the oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) model in vitro, we discovered that the exposure of mouse neuroblastoma N2a cells to OGD/R triggers excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and induces mitochondrial deterioration with decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and reduces ATP content. OM-MSC transwell coculture attenuated the above perturbations accompanied with increased UbiA prenyltransferase domain-containing 1 (UBIAD1) expression, whereas these protective effects of OM-MSCs were blocked when UBIAD1 was knocked down. UBIAD1-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) reversed the increased membrane potential and ATP content promoted by OM-MSCs. Additionally, UBIAD1-specific siRNA blocked the oxidant/antioxidant balance treated by OM-MSCs. Overall, our results suggested that OM-MSCs exert neuroprotective effects in cerebral I/R injury by attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction and enhancing antioxidation via upregulation of UBIAD1.

Functional dopaminergic neurons derived from human chorionic mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate striatal atrophy and improve behavioral deficits in Parkinsonian rat model

Human chorionic mesenchymal stem cells (HCMSCs) have been recognized as a desirable choice for cell therapy in neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Due to invaluable features of HCMSCs including their immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive properties, easily accessible and less differentiated compared to other types of MSCs, HCMSCs provide a great hope for regenerative medicine. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of HCMSCs-derived dopaminergic (DA) neuron-like cells with regard to PD. Initially, HCMSCs were isolated and underwent a 2-week DA differentiation, followed by in vitro assessments, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunocytochemistry, patch clamp recording, and high-performance liquid chromatography. In addition, the effects of implanted HCMSCs-derived DA neuron-like cells on the motor coordination along with stereological alterations in the striatum of rat models of PD were investigated. Our results showed that under neuronal induction, HCMSCs revealed neuron-like morphology, and expressed neuronal and DA-specific genes, together with DA release. Furthermore, transplantation of HCMSCs-derived DA neurons into the striatum of rat models of PD, augmented performance. Besides, it prevented reduction of striatal volume, dendritic length, and the total number of neurons, coupled with a diminished level of cleaved caspase-3. Altogether, these findings suggest that HCMSCs could be considered as an attractive strategy for cell-based therapies in PD.

Grafted human chorionic stem cells restore motor function and preclude cerebellar neurodegeneration in rat model of cerebellar ataxia

Cerebellar ataxia (CA) is a form of ataxia that adversely affects the cerebellum. Cell replacement therapy (CRT) has been considered as a potential treatment for neurological disorders. In this report, we investigated the neuro-restorative effects of human chorionic stem cells (HCSCs) transplantation on rat model of CA induced by 3-acetylpyridine (3-AP). In this regard, HCSCs were isolated and phenotypically determined. Next, a single injection of 3-AP was administered for ataxia induction, and bilateral HCSCs implantation was conducted 3 days after 3-AP injection, followed by expression analysis of a number of apoptotic, autophagic and inflammatory genes as well as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level, along with assessment of cerebellar neurodegeneration, motor coordination and muscle activity. The findings revealed that grafting of HCSCs in 3-AP model of ataxia decreased the expression levels of several inflammatory, autophagic and apoptotic genes and provoked the up-regulation of VEGF in the cerebellar region, prevented the degeneration of Purkinje cells caused by 3-AP toxicity and ameliorated motor coordination and muscle function. In conclusion, these data indicate in vivo efficacy of HCSCs in the reestablishment of motor skills and reversal of CA.

Olfactory cell cultures to investigate health effects of air pollution exposure: Implications for neurodegeneration

Air pollution is a major, global public health concern. A growing body of evidence shows that exposure to air pollutants may impair the brain. Living in highly polluted areas has been linked to several neurodegenerative diseases, where exposure to complex mixtures of air pollutants in urban environments may have harmful effects on brain function. These harmful effects are thought to originate from elevated inflammation and oxidative stress. The olfactory epithelium is a key entry site of air pollutants into the brain as the particles are deposited in the upper airways and the nasal region. A potential source of patient-derived cells for study of air pollutant effects is the olfactory mucosa, which constitutes a central part of the olfactory epithelium. This review first summarizes the current literature on the available in vitro models of the olfactory epithelium. It then describes how alterations of the olfactory mucosa are linked to neurodegeneration and discusses potential therapeutic applications of these cells for neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, it reviews the research performed on the effects of air pollutant exposure in cells of the olfactory epithelium. Patient-derived olfactory epithelial models hold great promise for not only elucidating the molecular and cellular pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders, but for providing key understanding about air pollutant particle entry and effects at this key brain entry site.

Autophagy Modulators: Mechanistic Aspects and Drug Delivery Systems

Autophagy modulation is considered to be a promising programmed cell death mechanism to prevent and cure a great number of disorders and diseases. The crucial step in designing an effective therapeutic approach is to understand the correct and accurate causes of diseases and to understand whether autophagy plays a cytoprotective or cytotoxic/cytostatic role in the progression and prevention of disease. This knowledge will help scientists find approaches to manipulate tumor and pathologic cells in order to enhance cellular sensitivity to therapeutics and treat them. Although some conventional therapeutics suffer from poor solubility, bioavailability and controlled release mechanisms, it appears that novel nanoplatforms overcome these obstacles and have led to the design of a theranostic-controlled drug release system with high solubility and active targeting and stimuli-responsive potentials. In this review, we discuss autophagy modulators-related signaling pathways and some of the drug delivery strategies that have been applied to the field of therapeutic application of autophagy modulators. Moreover, we describe how therapeutics will target various steps of the autophagic machinery. Furthermore, nano drug delivery platforms for autophagy targeting and co-delivery of autophagy modulators with chemotherapeutics/siRNA, are also discussed.

Differentiation of human olfactory system-derived stem cells into dopaminergic neuron-like cells: A comparison between olfactory bulb and mucosa as two sources of stem cells

Cell transplantation has become a possible therapeutic approach in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases of the nervous system by replacing lost cells. The current study aimed to make a comparison between the differentiation capacity of the olfactory bulb neural stem cells (OB-NSCs) and olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cells (OE-MSCs) into dopaminergic-like neurons under the inductive effect of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). After culturing and treating with TGF-β, the differentiation capacities of both types of stem cells into dopaminergic neuron-like cells were evaluated. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis 3 weeks after induction demonstrated that the mRNA expression of the dopaminergic activity markers tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), dopamine transporter (DAT), paired box gene 2 (PAX2), and PAX5 in the neuron-like cells derived from OB-NSCs was significantly higher than those derived from OE-MSCs. These findings were further supported by the immunocytochemistry staining showing that the expression of the tyrosine hydroxylase, DAT, PAX2, and paired like homeodomain 3 seemed to be slightly higher in OB-NSCs compared with OE-MSCs. Despite the lower differentiation capacity of OE-MSCs, other considerations such as a noninvasive and easier harvesting process, faster proliferation attributes, longer life span, autologous transplantability, and also the easier and inexpensive cultural process of the OE-MSCs, cumulatively make these cells the more appropriate alternative in the case of autologous transplantation during the treatment process of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease.