Dataset Information

Neuroprotection through delivery of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor by neural stem cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

ABSTRACT: Neural stem cells (NSCs) have been proposed as tools for treating neurodegeneration because of their capacity to give rise to cell types appropriate to the structure in which they are grafted. In the present work, we explore the ability of NSCs to stably express transgenes and locally deliver soluble molecules with neuroprotective activity, such as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). NSCs engineered to release GDNF engrafted well in the host striatum, integrated and gave rise to neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, and maintained stable high levels of GDNF expression for at least 4 months. The therapeutic potential of intrastriatal GDNF-NSCs grafts was tested in a mouse 6-hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson's disease. We found that GDNF-NSCs prevented the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and reduced behavioral impairment in these animals. Thus, our results demonstrate that NSCs efficiently express therapeutic levels of GDNF in vivo, suggesting a use for NSCs engineered to release neuroprotective molecules in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease.

SUBMITTER: Akerud P

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6763865 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Neuroprotection through delivery of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor by neural stem cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Akerud P P Canals J M JM Snyder E Y EY Arenas E E

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 20011001 20

Neural stem cells (NSCs) have been proposed as tools for treating neurodegeneration because of their capacity to give rise to cell types appropriate to the structure in which they are grafted. In the present work, we explore the ability of NSCs to stably express transgenes and locally deliver soluble molecules with neuroprotective activity, such as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). NSCs engineered to release GDNF engrafted well in the host striatum, integrated and gave rise to ...[more]

PMID: 11588183

Similar Datasets

Project description:Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and Neurturin (NRTN) bind to a receptor complex consisting of a member of the GDNF family receptor (GFR)-? and the Ret tyrosine kinase. Both factors were shown to protect nigro-striatal dopaminergic neurons and reduce motor symptoms when applied terminally in toxin-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) models. However, clinical trials based on intraputaminal GDNF protein administration or recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-mediated NRTN gene delivery have been disappointing. In this review, several factors that could have limited the clinical benefits are discussed. Retrograde transport of GDNF/NRTN to the dopaminergic neurons soma is thought to be necessary for NRTN/GFR-?/Ret signaling mediating the pro-survival effect. Therefore, the feasibility of treating advanced patients with neurotrophic factors is questioned by recent data showing that: (i) tyrosine hydroxylase-positive putaminal innervation has almost completely disappeared at 5 years post-diagnosis and (ii) in patients enrolled in the rAAV-NRTN trial more than 5 years post-diagnosis, NRTN was almost not transported to the substantia nigra pars compacta. In addition to its anti-apoptotic and neurotrophic properties, GDNF also interferes with dopamine homeostasis via time and dose-dependent effects such as: stimulation of dopamine neuron excitability, inhibition of dopamine transporter activity, tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation, and inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase transcription. Depending on the delivery parameters, the net result of this intricate network of regulations could be either beneficial or deleterious. In conclusion, further unraveling of the mechanism of action of GDNF gene delivery in relevant animal models is still needed to optimize the clinical benefits of this new therapeutic approach. Recent developments in the design of regulated viral vectors will allow to finely adjust the GDNF dose and period of administration. Finally, new clinical studies in less advanced patients are warranted to evaluate the potential of AAV-mediated neurotrophic factors gene delivery in PD. These will be facilitated by the demonstration of the safety of rAAV administration into the human brain.

Project description:We investigated the effects of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in Parkinson's disease, using intermittent intraputamenal convection-enhanced delivery via a skull-mounted transcutaneous port as a novel administration paradigm to potentially afford putamen-wide therapeutic delivery. This was a single-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients were 35-75 years old, had motor symptoms for 5 or more years, and presented with moderate disease severity in the OFF state [Hoehn and Yahr stage 2-3 and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score (part III) (UPDRS-III) between 25 and 45] and motor fluctuations. Drug delivery devices were implanted and putamenal volume coverage was required to exceed a predefined threshold at a test infusion prior to randomization. Six pilot stage patients (randomization 2:1) and 35 primary stage patients (randomization 1:1) received bilateral intraputamenal infusions of GDNF (120 µg per putamen) or placebo every 4 weeks for 40 weeks. Efficacy analyses were based on the intention-to-treat principle and included all patients randomized. The primary outcome was the percentage change from baseline to Week 40 in the OFF state (UPDRS-III). The primary analysis was limited to primary stage patients, while further analyses included all patients from both study stages. The mean OFF state UPDRS motor score decreased by 17.3 ± 17.6% in the active group and 11.8 ± 15.8% in the placebo group (least squares mean difference: -4.9%, 95% CI: -16.9, 7.1, P = 0.41). Secondary endpoints did not show significant differences between the groups either. A post hoc analysis found nine (43%) patients in the active group but no placebo patients with a large clinically important motor improvement (?10 points) in the OFF state (P = 0.0008). 18F-DOPA PET imaging demonstrated a significantly increased uptake throughout the putamen only in the active group, ranging from 25% (left anterior putamen; P = 0.0009) to 100% (both posterior putamina; P < 0.0001). GDNF appeared to be well tolerated and safe, and no drug-related serious adverse events were reported. The study did not meet its primary endpoint. 18F-DOPA imaging, however, suggested that intermittent convection-enhanced delivery of GDNF produced a putamen-wide tissue engagement effect, overcoming prior delivery limitations. Potential reasons for not proving clinical benefit at 40 weeks are discussed.

Project description:Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) plays an important role in the protection of dopaminergic neurons, but there are few reports of the relationship between GDNF and its precursors (α-pro-GDNF and β-pro-GDNF) and cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the serum levels of GDNF and its precursors and cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease, and to assess their potential as a diagnostic marker. Fifty-three primary outpatients and hospitalized patients with Parkinson's disease (23 men and 30 women) with an average age of 66.58 years were enrolled from the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University of China in this case-control study. The patients were divided into the Parkinson's disease with cognitive impairment group (n = 27) and the Parkinson's disease with normal cognitive function group (n = 26) based on their Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Clinical Dementia Rating scores. In addition, 26 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects were included as the healthy control group. Results demonstrated that serum GDNF levels were significantly higher in the Parkinson's disease with normal cognitive function group than in the other two groups. There were no significant differences in GDNF precursor levels among the three groups. Correlation analysis revealed that serum GDNF levels, GDNF/α-pro-GDNF ratios, and GDNF/β-pro-GDNF ratios were moderately or highly correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Clinical Dementia Rating scores. To explore the risk factors for cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease, logistic regression analysis and stepwise linear regression analysis were performed. Both GDNF levels and Hoehn-Yahr stage were risk factors for cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease, and were the common influencing factors for cognitive scale scores. Neither α-pro-GDNF nor β-pro-GDNF was risk factors for cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. A receiver operating characteristic curve of GDNF was generated to predict cognitive function in Parkinson's disease (area under the curve = 0.859). This result indicates that the possibility that serum GDNF can correctly distinguish whether patients with Parkinson's disease have cognitive impairment is 0.859. Together, these results suggest that serum GDNF may be an effective diagnostic marker for cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease. However, α-pro-GDNF and β-pro-GDNF are not useful for predicting cognitive impairment in this disease. This study was approved by Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, China (approval No. XYFY2017-KL047-01) on November 30, 2017.

Dataset Information

Neuroprotection through delivery of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor by neural stem cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Publications

Neuroprotection through delivery of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor by neural stem cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure