Stem cell-based therapy has recently offered a promising alternative for the remedy of neurodegenerative disorders like Huntington's disease (HD). Herein, we investigated the potential ameliorative effects of implantation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) rat models of HD. In this regard, human DPSCs were isolated, culture-expanded and implanted in rats lesioned with 3-NP. Post-transplantation examinations revealed that DPSCs were able to survive and augment motor skills and muscle activity. Histological analysis showed DPSCs treatment hampered the shrinkage of the striatum along with the inhibition of gliosis and microgliosis in the striatum of 3-NP rat models. We also detected the downregulation of Caspase-3 and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF and IL-1β upon DPSCs grafting. Overall, these findings imply that the grafting of DPSCs could repair motor-skill impairment and induce neurogenesis, probably through the secretion of neurotrophic factors and the modulation of neuroinflammatory response in HD animal models.

最近，基于干细胞的疗法为亨廷顿病 (HD) 等神经退行性疾病的治疗提供了一种有希望的替代方案。在此，我们研究了在 HD 3-硝基丙酸 (3-NP) 大鼠模型中植入牙髓干细胞 (DPSC) 的潜在改善作用。在这方面，人类 DPSC 被分离、培养扩增并植入受 3-NP 损伤的大鼠中。移植后检查显示 DPSCs 能够存活并增强运动技能和肌肉活动。组织学分析表明，DPSCs 治疗阻碍了纹状体的收缩，同时抑制了 3-NP 大鼠模型纹状体中的神经胶质增生和小胶质细胞增生。我们还检测到 DPSC 移植后 Caspase-3 和促炎细胞因子（如 TNF 和 IL-1β）的下调。全面的，