Bone marrow and adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells: two ways to promote neuroregeneration in the peripheral nervous system

SOTO, PAULA; SOUZA CAROLINA; USACH, VANINA; PIÑERO, GONZALO; ZLASVSKY CAMILA; TEXEIRA DE CARVALHO KATHERINE; SETTON - AVRUJ, PATRICIA

Mar del Plata, Argentina

Congreso; XXX Congreso Anual Sociedad Argentina de Neurociencias (SAN); 2015

Neurodegenerative diseases include both central and peripheral nervous system (PNS) disorders such as multiple sclerosis and type II diabetes, respectively. Research in stem cells has recently become an important tool to accelerate regeneration in the PNS and finally achieve full functional recovery of injured nerves. Pluripotent stem cells from bone marrow and adipose tissue are suitable candidates for regenerative therapies, as they are easily obtained and cultured and, even more relevant, they can be used for autologous transplant.In our laboratory, we used a model of reversible Wallerian degeneration promoted by 8-second compression of the rat sciatic nerve. Isolated bone marrow stem cells (BMSC) and mesenchymal stem cells from epididymal adipose tissue (MSAD) were evaluated through flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. In parallel, cells were labeled with a rhodamine derivative fluorophore for systemic transplant studies.MSAD demonstrated a higher proliferation rate than BMSC. Isolated BMSC and MSAD were characterized by multipotent cell marker expression and the absence of Schwann cell marker expression, which makes them good candidates for transplantation studies.Epifluorescence and confocal microscopy analysis proved the arrival of both cell types exclusively to the injured nerve and their participation in the demyelination-remyelination process.Further experiments are necessary to determine which of these populations best suits peripheral regenerating strategies.