[Abstract Title]. - Society for Neuroscience

determine the viability and potential for human embryonic stem cells (HESC), when induced
towards a DA phenotype in culture or not, to repair, replace, or regenerate the loss of DA in the
striatum in rats pre-treated with a DA neurotoxin. We are therefore aiming to inhibit the
progression of PD and not to treat the symptoms. The HESC cells were cultured in serum-free
defined expansion media and in serum free defined neural induction media 7 to 21 days prior to
transplantation. After culturing, the HESCs were assessed for the number of tyrosine
hydroxylase (THIR) immunoreactive cells to establish the cell pre-direction towards a DA
phenotype. Male Spragey-Dawley rats were either lesioned with 6-OHDA (DA neurotoxin) at
two sites in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB), or were sham lesioned. The lesioned and sham
rats were tested for rotational behavior 1-2 days before surgery (baseline) and again 1-2 days
before cell transplantation for inclusion in the study. Animals not meeting the rotational criteria
after 6-OHDA treatment were excluded from the study. In this model of PD, the rats will have
lost at least 60% of DA neurons in the SNpc (~80% of DA levels in the striatum) and will show
full PD-like motor deficits by 3 weeks post surgery. Unilateral transplantations were performed
into the striatum with either (1) untreated HESCs, (2) neuronal induced HESCs or (3) no cells,
with 7 rats per group. After transplantation, behavioral testing was performed every other week
until brains were taken and processed for dependent measures. These included the number of
human grafted cells, cell counts for DA neurons in substantia nigra, other human neural markers,
and observation of human cells in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, and spleen in addition to
the target area of the brain. The results thus far have indicated modest behavioral improvements,
with 3 different motor behavioral tests, and in vitro immunocytochemistry has shown these stem
cells can be induced to DA phenotype (35 to 40% of cells at 4 DIV) along with all neural lineage
markers. Completed results will be presented.
Disclosures: L.P. Kelly, None; M.B. Newman, None; A.P. Smith, None; R.A. Bakay , None.
Poster
247. Parkinson's Disease Interventions: Animal and Clinical Models
Time: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Program#/Poster#: 247.12/S7
Topic: C.02.d. Therapies
Support: Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch (CINN) 2007-2008
Title: Therapeutic use of neural induced human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) stem cells in
Parkinson‟s disease
Authors: *M. B. NEWMAN 1 , L. P. KELLY 1 , A. P. SMITH 2 , R. A. E. BAKAY 1 ;
1 Depts.NeuroSurg & Pharmacol, 2 NeuroSurgery, Rush Univ. Med. Ctr., Chicago, IL