Cerebral function of bone marrow multipotent adult progenitor cells after transplantation in Parkinson's disease rat models

Objective: This study sought to explore the mechanism of bone marrow-derived multipotent adult progenitor cell (MAPC) differentiation into neurons to restore functional deficits. Methods: We were successfully established a rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD). MAPC were injected into the left striatum for cellular identification. At 3 months after the injection, behavioral tests, immunofluorescence reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the rats. Results: Compared with control animals, MAPC-derived dopaminergic neurons caused gradual, sustained behavioral restoration of dopamine-mediated motor asymmetry. Within 1 hour, the impaired gait of the rats in the MAPC group was improved compared with the control group (P <.05). After implantation, the MAPCs survived and differentiated into neuronlike cells in the substantia nigra and striatum including dopaminergic neurons. Real-time PCR revealed significantly higher dopamine-β-hydroxylase (1.64-fold increase), dopamine transporter (1.55-fold increase), and nerve growth factor (1.77-fold increase) mRNA levels in the MAPC group, suggesting that MAPC-derived neurons perform the function of dopaminergic neurons. Conclusions: The immature synapses under electron microscopy show that MAPC-derived neurons have great potential in the reconstruction of the neural circuitry. Transplanted MAPCs develop spontaneously into dopaminergic neurons, which restore cerebral function and behavior in PD rat models.