The application prospect of human neural stem cells in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

  Alzheimer's disease (Alzheimer's disease, AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. The typical clinical symptoms are cognitive dysfunction or even loss. Before the clinical symptoms of AD patients appear, the death of many neurons in the brain and the loss and dysfunction of nerve synapses will cause damage to the neural circuits, which directly leads to the decline of the patients' cognitive ability. On this basis, Jing Naihe's research team boldly imagined. If external neurons can repair the neural network of the patient's brain, especially the specific brain areas related to cognitive functions, it is necessary to improve the memory ability of AD patients. .. In a previous study, the research team transplanted basal precholinergic neuron (BFCN) precursor cells from mouse and human embryonic stem cells into the basal forebrain of AD model mice, and observed exogenous BFCN . It can move from the basal forebrain of AD mice to the cortex and hippocampus and protrude, thereby greatly improving the cognitive function of AD mice.

  Based on this, in this study, Jing Naihe's research team and his collaborating team established unintegrated neural progenitor cells (iNPC) from adult peripheral blood monospheres. It conveys information about the position of the forebrain. system. The obtained human iNPC was transplanted into the hippocampus of AD model mice, and it was confirmed for the first time that there is synaptic transmission between the foreign neurons differentiated by iNPC and the host neurons, and it is functionally integrated into the hippocampal nerves of AD mice . In this cycle, the damaged neural network of AD mice was repaired, and the synaptic plasticity of AD mice was improved, thereby significantly improving the learning and memory functions of AD mice.

  This research provides insights into the feasibility and application of human neural stem cells for AD cell replacement therapy, and provides new strategies and directions for AD treatment. Kagenosuke's research team has long been engaged in the research of stem cell-based AD cell replacement therapy, and has conducted extensive research to establish an ideal AD cell replacement therapy. First, we improved the direct reprogramming technique that can be used from a small amount of adult peripheral blood. (2-8ml) The established neural stem cell line provides a simple and reliable method to obtain stable donor cells.

  The second is to transplant subtype specific neurons carrying specific brain regions into the corresponding brains of AD mice. Explore the brain-specific in situ repair of the AD brain and lay the foundation for the establishment and improvement of AD cell replacement therapy. Currently, there is no clinically effective method to treat AD, and people are powerless in the face of AD. Finding a new treatment for AD is one of the most difficult scientific problems in the current AD research field, and it is also one of the hottest and most difficult problems in the frontier field of AD research. Jing Naihe's research team's attempts to replace AD cells with different neural stem cells will undoubtedly play an active role in establishing this new therapy and seeking translational research.