Symptomatic improvement, increased life-span and sustained cell homing in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis after transplantation of human umbilical cord blood cells genetically modified with adeno-viral vectors expressing a neuro-protective factor and a neural cell adhesion molecule

Curr Gene Ther. 2015;15(3):266-76. doi: 10.2174/1566523215666150126122317.

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable, chronic, fatal neuro-degenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of moto-neurons and paralysis of skeletal muscles. Reactivating dysfunctional areas is under earnest investigation utilizing various approaches. Here we present an innovative gene-cell construct aimed at reviving inert structure and function. Human umbilical cord blood cells (hUCBCs) transduced with adeno-viral vectors encoding human VEGF, GDNF and/or NCAM genes were transplanted into transgenic ALS mice models. Significant improvement in behavioral performance (open-field and grip-strength tests), as well as increased life-span was observed in rodents treated with NCAM-VEGF or NCAM-GDNF co-transfected cells. Active trans-gene expression was found in the spinal cord of ALS mice 10 weeks after delivering genetically modified hUCBCs, and cells were detectable even 5 months following transplantation. Our gene-cell therapy model yielded prominent symptomatic control and prolonged life-time in ALS. Incredible survivability of xeno-transpanted cells was also observed without any immune-suppression. These results suggest that engineered hUCBCs may offer effective gene-cell therapy in ALS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / physiopathology
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / therapy*
  • Animals
  • Cell Transplantation*
  • Dependovirus / genetics*
  • Female
  • Fetal Blood / cytology*
  • Genetic Therapy / methods
  • Genetic Vectors*
  • Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / genetics*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Life Expectancy*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / genetics*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics*

Substances

  • Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A