Analyzing the Function of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Parkinson’s Disease

Session Number

Q31

Advisor(s)

Ben Hiller, Rush University Medical Center
Jeffrey Kordower, Rush University Medical Center
David Marmion, Rush University Medical Center

Location

B-131 Grainger

Start Date

28-4-2016 8:50 AM

End Date

28-4-2016 9:15 AM

Abstract

Each year in the United States, 60,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) which causes impaired motor abilities and tremors. PD is caused in part by the loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra secondary to the loss of dopamine fibers in the striatum; so current research is focused on reversing those symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine whether induced pluripotent stem cells reprogrammed to midbrain dopamine neurons (iPSC-mDA) can survive, innervate, and reverse motor disability in rats. A neurotoxin called 6-hydroxydopamine was injected in the brains of rats unilaterally to create a lesion mimicking the effects of PD. Rats were then injected in the striatum with iPSC-mDA neurons, which were hypothesized to reverse the motor symptoms or vehicle. To test the effects of the transplanted neurons, cylinder paw-touching and drug-induced rotation motor asymmetry tests were performed at baseline and every three (cylinder) and two months (rotations) for six months. In this study, iPSC-mDA neurons survived and projected TH fibers into the rat brain. Amphetamine-induced rotations were fully reversed; however we found no recovery in the cylinder task. Further studies are necessary to determine how iPSC-mDA neurons affect the lesioned rat brain.


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Apr 28th, 8:50 AM Apr 28th, 9:15 AM

Analyzing the Function of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Parkinson’s Disease

B-131 Grainger

Each year in the United States, 60,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) which causes impaired motor abilities and tremors. PD is caused in part by the loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra secondary to the loss of dopamine fibers in the striatum; so current research is focused on reversing those symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine whether induced pluripotent stem cells reprogrammed to midbrain dopamine neurons (iPSC-mDA) can survive, innervate, and reverse motor disability in rats. A neurotoxin called 6-hydroxydopamine was injected in the brains of rats unilaterally to create a lesion mimicking the effects of PD. Rats were then injected in the striatum with iPSC-mDA neurons, which were hypothesized to reverse the motor symptoms or vehicle. To test the effects of the transplanted neurons, cylinder paw-touching and drug-induced rotation motor asymmetry tests were performed at baseline and every three (cylinder) and two months (rotations) for six months. In this study, iPSC-mDA neurons survived and projected TH fibers into the rat brain. Amphetamine-induced rotations were fully reversed; however we found no recovery in the cylinder task. Further studies are necessary to determine how iPSC-mDA neurons affect the lesioned rat brain.