Intravenous Transplantation of Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promoted The Production of Dopaminergic Neurons and Improved Spatial Memory in A Rat Model of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder described by the dynamic decline of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Stem cell transplantation is a new therapeutic strategy in the treatment of PD. The objective of the study was to assess the impact of intravenous infusion of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) on memory disorder in Parkinsonian rats.

In this experimental study, male Wistar rats were randomly divided to four groups containing sham, cell treatment, control, and lesion. The cell treatment group received intravenous injection of AD-MSCs 12 days after PD induction by bilateral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine. Four weeks after lesion formation, spatial memory was examined using the Morris water maze (MWM) assessment. The rats’ brains were removed and assessed by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (Gfap) immunostaining.

Statistical analyses revealed a significant addition and reduction in time spent and escape latency in the target quadrant, respectively, in the cell group as compared to the lesion group. Also, BrdU-labeled cells were present in the substantia nigra (SN). The density of TH-positive cells was significantly increased in the AD-MSCs transplantation group as compared to the lesion group, and the density of astrocytes significantly diminished in the AD-MSCs transplantation group as compared to the lesion group.

It appears that AD-MSCs treatment for Parkinson’s could decrease the density of astrocytes and promote the density of TH-positive neurons. It appears that AD-MSCs could improve spatial memory impairment in PD.