Effect of human β-NGF gene-modified bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on rotational behavior of rats with Parkinson disease

AIM：To investigate the effect of human β-nerve growth factor (β-NGF) gene-modified bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation on the rotational behavior improvement in a rat model of Parkinson disease (PD). METHODS：The rat model of PD was established successfully and the animals were divided into 4 groups:β-NGF-MSCs group (transplanted with 5×105 β-NGF-engineered MSCs), MSCs group (transplanted with 5×105 MSCs), DMEM/F12 group (5 μL transplantation medium was injected in the right striatum of the rats) and PD model group (without transplantation). The rotational scores were assessed 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks after transplantation. At different time points after transplantation, the rats were tested for apomorphine (APO)-induced rotational behavior and the brains of the PD model rats were examined by fluorescence microscopy and immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS：Transplantation of human β-NGF gene-modified MSCs effectively improved the behavioral performance in the rats. At the 2nd, 4th and 6th weeks after cell transplantation, the rotational frequencies after injection of APO decreased significantly in β-NGF-MSCs group compared with MSCs group and PD group (P<0.05). Both β-NGF gene-modified MSCs and MSCs survived in the brains of PD model rats, had good compatibility with the host cells, and showed no signs of destroying the host and the glial cicatrisation. The β-NGF gene-modified MSCs expressed β-NGF stablely in the brains of PD model rats, and showed obvious improvement of the rotational behavior in the PD model rats induced by APO compared with MSCs group. CONCLUSION:The behavior of the rats with PD is significantly improved by transplanting β-NGF-modified MSCs in right striatum, and β-NGF gene therapy has potential clinical value．