Adipose-derived stem cells reduce lipopolysaccharide-induced myelin degradation and neuroinflammatory responses of glial cells in mice

Abstract

Brain inflammation is a key event triggering the pathological process associated with many neurodegenerative diseases. Current personalized medicine and translational research in neurodegenerative diseases focus on adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), because they are patient-specific, thereby reducing the risk of immune rejection. ASCs have been shown to exert a therapeutic effect following transplantation in animal models of neuroinflammation. However, the mechanisms by which transplanted ASCs promote cell survival and/or functional recovery are not fully understood. We investigated the effects of ASCs in in vivo and in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammatory models. Brain damage was evaluated immunohistochemically using specific antibody markers of microglia, astroglia and oligodendrocytes. ASCs were used for intracerebral transplantation, as well as for non-contact co-culture with brain slices. In both in vivo and in vitro models, we found that LPS caused micro-and astroglial activation and oligodendrocyte degradation, whereas the presence of ASCs significantly reduced the damaging effects. It should be noted that the observed ASCs protection in a non-contact co-culture suggested that this effect was due to humoral factors via ASC-released biomodulatory molecules. However, further clinical studies are required to establish the therapeutic mechanisms of ASCs, and optimize their use as a part of a personalized medicine strategy.