Behavioral study of effects of mesenchymal stem cells transplant on motor deficits improvement in animal model of Huntington's disease

Introduction: Huntington's disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disease associated with widespread neuronal degeneration in neostriatum and neocortex. Progress of the disease causes disabling clinical effects on movements, cognition and physiology of the body, and finally results in death. Currently, there is no effective therapeutic strategy for diminishing the motor disabilities of Huntington's disease. In recent years, cellular transplantation has been an effective therapeutic method for neurodegenerative diseases. Methods: In this study, the effects of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells were assessed in an animal model of Huntington's disease. After causing ipsilateral lesion in the striatum with quinolinic acid, bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells which had been isolated and purified from 4-6 weeks old rats, were transplanted into the damaged striatum. The efficiency of cellular transplantation for improvement of motor disabilities was assessed by cylinder test and apomorphin induced rotation tests, during eight weeks after the transplant. Results: Results showed significant improvement (p < 0.0001) in motor disability and the percentage of striatal atrophy. Conclusion: According to these results, cell therapy with bone marrow derived adult stem cells seems promising for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, especially Huntington's disease.