Transplantation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) into Cuprizone Model of Demyelination in Rat

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative inflammatory disease with a wide range of axonal demyelination and sensory-motor disorders. Today, stem cell therapy is an appropriate choice for MS management. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) are pluripotent stem cells that have neuroprotective effects with neuroglial differentiation potential. In this study, we used iPSCs to improve remyelination and behavioral function in model of cuprizone multiple sclerosis disease in rats.

Human iPSCs were cultured and extended on a mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder cell layer inactivated with mitomycin-C in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 20% knockout serum replacement, 0.1 mmol/L nonessential amino acids, and 10 ng/mL of recombinant human basic fibroblast growth factor in a 5% CO2 and 95% humidity. The demyelination model was induced using a 0.2 oral Cuprizone regime. Thereafter, iPSCs were transplanted after six weeks. Remyelination was investigated via histological assessments and immunocytochemistry following six-week post-transplantation. The functionality was evaluated using behavioral tests, BBB, and Footprint following six-week post-transplantation.

The results of in vivo studies showed that after specific myelin tissue staining, the cuprizone diet led to the induction of demyelinated areas in the brain tissue six weeks after the cuprizone diet. Differentiation of transplanted cells was confirmed via the immunocytochemistry technique of PLP. The results of the Footprint test showed that the motor function of the paws of the animals improved compared to the control group. Moreover, BBB behavioral tests showed improved symptoms in the experimental groups that received the cells.

In total, iPSCs can improve remyelination and functional recovery following transplantation into the Cuprizone demyelination model in rats. Therefore, iPSC therapy could improve behavioral function in multiple sclerosis disease