Objective: In order to find out evidences in explicating whether the transplanted ganglion cells can be kept surviving longer in the brain and to find out an ideal transplantation way for the surgical treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Methods: Cervical sympathetic ganglions autotransplantation into the caudate nuclei of the brain in 9 rhesus monkeys known to have the symptoms and signs of the Parkinson's disease beforehand induced by using 1-methy1-4-phen-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropynidne (MPTP) and in addition, muscle tendon tissue was also grafted for comparison. The experimental animals were followed up for 2 years. All the specimens taken were processed and prepared in continuous frozen sections for H & E, glyoxlyic acid induced dopamine fluorescence and immunochemistry stainings including anti-chromogranin A, synaptophysin, neurofilament, NSE, GFAP as markers.
Results: Two years after the autotransplantation operation, there were still surviving ganglion cells left in the caudate nuclei. The grafted ganglion cells were connected by the neurodendrites with the brain tissue which showed dopamine fluorescence positive and also had expression of chromogramin A, synaptophysin and neurofilaments.
Conclusions: The grafted cells survived in the brain over 2 years. It's considered that the sympathetic ganglion is the first choice in comparing with other tissues as the graft for the surgical treatment of Parkinson's disease. Continuous frozen sections accompanying with inducing fluorescence and immunohistochemistry staining are seemed reliable as the parameters in checking the result after neural transplantation.