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

Introduction: As an inherited neurodegenerative disease, Huntington's disease is accompanied with wide neuronal degeneration in neostriatum and neocortex. Progress of the disease causes disabling clinical effects on movements, recognition and physiology of the body, and finally results in death. At this stage of knowledge we are, there is no effective therapeutic strategy for diminishing the motor disorders of Huntington's disease. In recent years, cellular transplantation has been an effective therapeutic method for neurodegenerative disease. Material and methods: In this paper, the effects of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells were assessed in animal model of Huntington disease. After causing ipsilateral lesion in striatum with Quinolinic acid, bone marrowe derived mesenchymal stem cells which had been isolated and purified from 4-6 weeks old rats, transplanted into damage striatum. The efficiency of cellular transplantation for improvement of motor disorder was assessed by cylinder test and Apomorphin induced rotation tests, during eight weeks after engraftment. Results: Results show significant improvement (p ≤ 0.0001) in motor disorders and striatal atrophy percent. Conclision: According to results of this assay, cell therapy by means of bone marrow derived adult stem cells promises for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, especially Huntington's disease.