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Brain engraftment and therapeutic potential of stem/progenitor cells derived from mouse skin
Author(s) -
Tunici Patrizia,
Bulte Jeff W. M.,
Bruzzone Maria Grazia,
Poliani Pietro Luigi,
Cajola Laura,
Grisoli Marina,
Douglas Trevor,
Finocchiaro Gaetano
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the journal of gene medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.689
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1521-2254
pISSN - 1099-498X
DOI - 10.1002/jgm.866
Subject(s) - progenitor cell , stem cell , biology , neural stem cell , cancer research , pathology , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine
Skin stem/progenitor cells (SKPs) derive from the dermis and in culture can generate mesodermal and neural progenies. To investigate their potential for the treatment of brain diseases, we first injected SKPs into the brain of syngeneic mice. Brain histology indicated that most SKPs remained undifferentiated and clustered at the injection site, while, in vitro , 17% of SKPs expressed neural markers, as assessed by flow cytometry. After labeling with magnetodendrimers, murine and human SKPs were detected by magnetic resonance imaging even 5 months after brain injection. To evaluate their therapeutic potential on malignant gliomas, IL‐4 SKPs (i.e. SKPs transduced by a lentiviral vector carrying the cDNA of the anti‐glioma cytokine interleukin‐4) were injected into GL261 experimental gliomas. IL‐4‐SKPs prolonged significantly the survival of tumor‐bearing mice: furthermore, GL261 gliomas attracted SKPs originally injected into the contralateral hemisphere. Thus, prolonged survival, capacity for transgene expression, and lack of uncontrolled proliferation suggest that SKPs warrant further consideration as therapeutic tools for brain tumors and, possibly, other neurological disorders. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.