Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Effects of NT-4 gene modified fibroblasts transplanted into AD rats.
- Journal:
- Neuroscience letters
- Year:
- 2009
- Authors:
- Liu, Jia et al.
- Affiliation:
- Institute of Neuroscience · China
- Species:
- rodent
Abstract
It is well known that fibroblasts can act as a cell vector to express functional protein, like neurotrophin-4 (NT-4). The present study evaluated the effect of NT-4 gene modified fibroblasts grafted into the hippocampus of AD rat model. AD rats were reproduced by bilateral transection of the hippocampal fimbria-fornix. The transplanted fibroblasts steadily expressed NT-4 proteins at least 2 months after transplantation. This correlated with a significant rescue in the number of cholinergic neurons in the host hippocampus. Morris water maze tests demonstrated significant improvements in learning and memory, especially in rats receiving NT-4-modified fibroblasts. The present results showed that NT-4 gene modified fibroblasts could provide a long-term and steady expression of NT-4, and it significantly improved the behavior of AD rats. These findings should have important clinical applications in providing a long-term NT-4 Secretion for the treatment of AD.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19765403/