Progesterone enhanced remyelination in the mouse corpus callosum after cuprizone induced demyelination

Background: Progesterone as a sex steroid hormone is thought to affect and prevent demyelination, but its role in promoting myelin repair is far less investigated. In this study, remyelinating potential of progesterone in corpus callosum was evaluated on an experimental model of MS

Methods: In this experimental study, adult male C57BL/6 mice were fed with 0.2% [w/w] cuprizone in ground breeder chow ad libitum for 6 weeks. At day zero, after cuprizone removal, mice were divided randomly into two groups: [a] placebo group, which received saline pellet implant, [b] progesterone group, which received progesterone pellet implant. Some mice of the same age were fed with their normal diet to serve as the healthy control group. Two weeks after progesterone administration, Myelin content was assessed by Luxol-fast blue staining. The myelin basic protein [MBP] and proteolipid protein [PLP] expression were assessed using Western blot analysis and the changes in the number of oligodendrocytes and oligodendroglial progenitor cells were assessed by immunohistochemistry [IHC] and flow cytometry

Results: Luxol-fast blue staining revealed enhanced remyelination in the progesterone group when compared with the placebo group. Densitometry measurements of immunoblots demonstrated that MBP and PLP proteins contents were significantly increased in the progesterone group compared with the placebo group. Flow cytometry and IHC analysis showed increases in Olig2 and O4 cells in the progesterone group compared with the placebo group

Conclusion: Overall, our results indicate that progesterone treatment can stimulate myelin production and that it may provide a feasible and practical way for remyelination in diseases such as multiple sclerosis

Cardiac and renal malformations in a patient with sepsis and severe congenital neutropenia

G6BC3 deficiency is a new neutropenic syndrome, which is characterized by severe persistent neutropenia, early onset infections and additional organ involvement, especially cardiac and urogenital malformations. In this report, we present the clinical details of a recently known case of severe congenital neutropenia [SCN] with G6PC3 mutation, who experienced the first episode of infections at birth. Repeated absolute neutrophil count of less than 500/micro l was detected during work-up of sepsis in the first month of life. SCN was diagnosed and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [GCSF] administration initiated. Bone marrow examination revealed maturation arrest in myeloid series at promyelocyte-myelocyte stage. Diarrhea, bronchiolitis, and urinary tract infection were other infectious complications, while hydronephrosis, atrial septal defect, and patent ductus arteriosus were other manifestations. Prompt and accurate diagnosis of neutropenic patients and appropriate treatment can prevent further complications and improve the quality of life of the affected patients

Differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells into schwann cell phenotype in comparison with bone marrow stem cells

Bone marrow is the traditional source of human multipotent mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs], but adipose tissue appears to be an alternative and more readily available source. In this study, rat adipose-derived stem cells [ADSCs] were induced to differentiate into Schwann-like cells and compared with rat bone marrow stem cells [BMSCs] for their Schwann-like cells differentiation potential. BMSCs and ADSCs were characterized for expression of MSCs-specific markers, osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. They were induced to differentiate into Schwann-like cells and analyzed for expression of the Schwann specific markers. The immunocytochemical differentiation markers were S-100 and real time quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR] markers were S100, P75 and glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]. 3-[4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide [MTT] assay and Annexin V-Fluorescein isothiocyanate [FITC]/ Propidium iodide [PI] double labeling method were employed to detect early stage cell apoptosis. BMSCs and ADSCs showed similarities in expression of the MSC-specific markers, osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. Both quantitative RT-PCR and immunocytochemical analysis demonstrated that BMSCs and ADSCs had equal expression of the Schwann-specific markers following Schwann-like cells differentiation. However, gene expression of P75 was higher in BMSCs compared with ADSCs. MTT assay and flow cytometry found that of the total BMSCs and ADSCs in the culture medium, 20% to 30% of the cells died, but the remaining cell population remained strongly attached to the substrate and differentiated. Comparative analysis showed that Schwann-like cell differentiation potential of ADSCs was slightly decreased in comparison with BMSCs. Therefore, BMSCs are more favorable choice than ADSCs for tissue engineering