Publications (2)7.47 Total impact
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Article: Neurorescue Effects and Stem Properties Of Chorionic Villi And Amniotic Progenitor Cells.
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ABSTRACT: The capability to integrate into degenerative environment, release neurotrophic cytokines, contrast oxidative stress and an inherent differentiation potential towards site-appropriate phenotypes are considered crucial for the use of stem cells in tissue repair and regeneration. Naïve human chorial villi- (hCVCs) and amniotic fluid- (hAFCs) derived cells, whose properties and potentiality have not been extensively investigated, may represent two novel foetal cell sources for stem cell therapy. We previously described that long-term transplantation of hAFCs in lateral ventricles of wobbler and healthy mice was feasible and safe. In the present study we examine the in vitro intrinsic stem potential of hCVCs and hAFCs for future therapeutic applications in neurodegenerative disorders. Presence of stem lineages was evaluated assessing the expression pattern of relevant candidate markers by flow cytometry, RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Release of cytokines that may potentialy sustain endogenous neurogenesis and/or activate neuroprotective pathways was quantified by ELISA assays. We also performed an in vitro neurorescue assay, wherein a neuroblastoma cell line damaged by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was treated with hCVC/hAFC derived conditioned medium (CMs). Naïve hCVCs/hAFCs show a neurogenic/angiogenic predisposition. Both cell type express several specific neural stem/progenitor markers, such as nestin and connexin 43, and release significant amounts of brain derived neurotrophic factor, as well as vascular endothelial growth factor. hCVCs and hAFCs population comprise several interesting cell lineages, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cells with neural-like phenotypes. Moreover, although CMs obtained from both cell culture actively sustained metabolic activity in a 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) cell model, only hCVC-derived CMs significantly reduced neurotoxin-induced apoptosis. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that naïve hAFCs and hCVCs may enhance cell-recovery following neuronal damage through multiple rescue mechanisms, and may provide a suitable means of stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative disorders including PD.Neuroscience 01/2013; · 3.38 Impact Factor -
Article: Longitudinal tracking of human fetal cells labeled with super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in the brain of mice with motor neuron disease.
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ABSTRACT: Stem Cell (SC) therapy is one of the most promising approaches for the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Here we employed Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide nanoparticles (SPIOn) and Hoechst 33258 to track human Amniotic Fluid Cells (hAFCs) after transplantation in the lateral ventricles of wobbler (a murine model of ALS) and healthy mice. By in vitro, in vivo and ex vivo approaches we found that: 1) the main physical parameters of SPIOn were maintained over time; 2) hAFCs efficiently internalized SPIOn into the cytoplasm while Hoechst 33258 labeled nuclei; 3) SPIOn internalization did not alter survival, cell cycle, proliferation, metabolism and phenotype of hAFCs; 4) after transplantation hAFCs rapidly spread to the whole ventricular system, but did not migrate into the brain parenchyma; 5) hAFCs survived for a long time in the ventricles of both wobbler and healthy mice; 6) the transplantation of double-labeled hAFCs did not influence mice survival.PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(2):e32326. · 4.09 Impact Factor
