1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

MORPHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL STUDY IN BRAIN TRANSPLANTATION OF NEURAL TISSUE

Research Project

Project/Area Number	07671539
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Cerebral neurosurgery
Research Institution	JUNTENDO UNIVERSITY
Principal Investigator	OKUDA Osamu Juntendo University School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery Assistant Professor, 医学部, 講師 (30265996)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	NAKANISHI Hajime Juntendo University School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery Assistant Prof, 医学部, 講師 (90227843) ARAI Hajime Juntendo University School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgry Associate Profe, 医学部, 助教授 (70167229)
Project Period (FY)	1995 – 1997
Keywords	BRAIN TRANSPLANTATION / NEUROTRANSMITTER DEFICIENCY SYNDROME / PC 12 CELL / ONCOGENE / RAT
Research Abstract	Neuronal cells establishing from cell lines can offer a well-characterized source of cells for transplantation to the brain that is an alternative to fetal neurons. The infection of the PC 12 cell line with a retrovirus containing ras-oncogene leads to their neuronal differentiation without the need of nerve growth factor (NGF). We find that neoplastic, naive PC12 cells grafted to the striatum of normal adult rats cause the transient formation of large hemorrhagic cavities and do not survive. After differentiation by infection with Kirsten-ras murine sarcoma virus, and transplantation to the opposite striatum of the same brain, PC12 cells survive for at least 8 weeks and emit neurites. These neuron-like cells and their neurites retain tyrosine hydroxylase and choline acetyl transferase, as detected immunohistochemically. Thus, ras-primed PC12 cells may serve as a continuous source for both cholinergic and dopaminergic transmitters, in vivo, without the need of exogenous NGF.In addition to the PC 12 cell lines, we also find that rat amniotic epithelial cells can be differentiated to neuronal cells, thus these cells also may be useful for neuronal transplantation as a non-neoplastic candidate.