Intravenous Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells Transplantation in Aged Mice Increases Transcription of Glucose Transporter 1 and Na+/K+-ATPase at Hippocampus Followed by Restored Neurological Functions

Abstract

We recently reported that intravenous bone marrow mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) transplantation in stroke improves neurological function through improvement of cerebral metabolism. Cerebral metabolism is known to diminish with aging, and the reduction of metabolism is one of the presumed causes of neurological decline in the elderly. We report herein that transcription of glucose transporters, monocarboxylate transporters, and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase is downregulated in the hippocampus of aged mice with impaired neurological functions. Intravenous BM-MNC transplantation in aged mice stimulated the transcription of glucose transporter 1 and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase α1 followed by restoration of neurological function. As glucose transporters and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPases are closely related to cerebral metabolism and neurological function, our data indicate that BM-MNC transplantation in aged mice has the potential to restore neurological function by activating transcription of glucose transporter and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase. Furthermore, our data indicate that changes in transcription of glucose transporter and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase could be surrogate biomarkers for age-related neurological impairment as well as quantifying the efficacy of therapies.

Keywords: Na+/K+-ATPase; bone marrow mononuclear cell; glucose transporter; quantitative PCR; stem cell.