Alginate-chitisan-alginate microencapsulated PC12 cells transplanted into the brain for improving the rotational behavior of the rat model of Parkinson disease

Lihua DONG; Yueping SONG; Guohua HU; Jinghong MA; Shujuan LI; Ying XIONG; Wei WANG

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The transplantation of microencapsulated cell is becoming a hotspot modality in the therapy of Parkinson disease (PD). The application of Alginate-polysysine-alginate (APA) is currently limited due to fragility and pericystic fibrosis although it has been used in clinic. In this study, the native Alginate-chitosan-alginate(ACA)microencapsulated pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells) are transplanted into the region of corpus striatum in the injured side of the brain of the PD rat model, the functional recovery of rotational behavior and pathological changes are also observed in the control, sham and treated groups.

OBJECTIVE:

To observe whether the transplantation of ACA microencapsulated PC12 cells into the brain can improve the rotational behavior in the rat model of PD.

DESIGN:

Randomized controlled experiment.

SETTING:

Dalian Research Institute of Physiochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences.MATERIALS Totally 40 adult male Wistar rats with body mass of(220±10) g, ACA microcapsule and PC12 cells were used in this study.

METHODS:

The experiment was carried out in the animal experimental laboratory of Second Hospital, Jilin University and Dalian Research Institute of Physicochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences between May and December 2002. Native ACA were used to microencapsulate the PC12cells. These rats were randomly divided into the following three groups,treated group (10 rats received microencapsulated PC12 cell transplantation), control group (7 rats received unencapsulated PC12 cell transplantation) and sham group (6 rats received empty microencapsule transplantation). The transplantation site was the region of corpus striatum in the injured side of brain. The difference of rotational behavior included by apomorphine was compared before and after the transplantation in these rats,the morphological changes of the transplanted microcapsules and activity of the microencapsulated cells were also detected.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

①Rotational behavior of the rats before and after transplantation. ②Pathological change in the regions of substantia nigra and corpus striatum. ③ The integrality of retrieved microencapsule and the bioactivity of retrieved PC12 cells.

RESULTS:

① At the 4th week of transplantation, rotational behavior was significantly decreased in the encapsulated PC12 cells treated group compared with that of the groups received empty microencapsules transplantation [(6.9±2.8),(10.5±1.6) r/min, P ＜ 0.05].Tbis behavioral improvement could last at least three months. Although the unencapsulated PC12 cells also can improve the rotational behavior compared with before transplantation[(5.6±l.1 ), (9.5±1.5) r/min, P ＜ 0.05], which only lasted two months and fetal tumor formed in the skull of some rats. There was no significant difference in rotational behavior of the rats before and after transplantation in the empty microencapsule transplantation group. PC12 cells of retrieved microencapsulate grew well after re-culture, and have bioactivity.

CONCLUSION:

Transplantation of ACA microencapsulated PC12 cells into the brain can improve can improve the rotational behavior of rat PD model induced by apomorphine. ACA microcapsule can both isolate the host's immune system effectively and prevent the formation of tumor, and have a promising application in clinic.