CD133(+) cells from human umbilical cord blood reduce cortical damage and promote axonal growth in neonatal rat organ co-cultures exposed to hypoxia

Tanaka Norifumi

Kamei Naosuke

Nakamae Toshio

Yamamoto Risako

Ishikawa Masakazu

Fujiwara Hisaya

Miyoshi Hiroshi

Asahara Takayuki

Ochi Mitsuo

Kudo Yoshiki

International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience

To evaluate the effect of CD133(+) cells (endothelial progenitor cells) on the hypoxia-induced suppression of axonal growth of cortical neurons and the destruction of blood vessels (endothelial cells), we used anterograde axonal tracing and immunofluorescence in organ co-cultures of the cortex and the spinal cord from 3-day-old neonatal rats. CD133(+) cells prepared from human umbilical cord blood were added to the organ co-cultures after hypoxic insult, and axonal growth, vascular damage and apoptosis were evaluated. Anterograde axonal tracing with 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate was used to analyze axonal projections from the cortex to the spinal cord. Immunolabeling co-cultured tissues of the cortex and the spinal cord were used to investigate the effect of CD133(+). cells on the survival of blood vessels and apoptosis in the brain cortex. Hypoxia remarkably suppressed axonal growth in organ co-cultures of the cortex and the spinal cord, and this suppression was significantly restored by the addition of CD133(+). cells. CD133(+) cells also reduced the hypoxia-induced destruction of the cortical blood vessels and apoptosis. CD133(+) cells had protective effects on hypoxia-induced injury of neurons and blood vessels of the brain cortex in vitro. These results suggest that CD133(+) cell transplantation may be a possible therapeutic intervention for perinatal hypoxia-induced brain injury.

Brain damage

CD133

Hypoxia

Neonatal rat

Slice culture

Medical sciences [ 490 ]

eng

Pergamon Elsevier Science Ltd

Copyright (c) 2010 ISDN Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[ISSN] 0736-5748

[DOI] 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2010.07.232

[NCID] AA10637655

[DOI] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2010.07.232