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Intra-brain microinjection of human mesenchymal stem cells decreases allodynia in neuropathic mice

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Abstract

Neuropathic pain is a very complex disease, involving several molecular pathways. Current available drugs are usually not acting on the several mechanisms underlying the generation and propagation of pain. We used spared nerve injury model of neuropathic pain to assess the possible use of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) as anti-neuropathic tool. Human MSCs were transplanted in the mouse lateral cerebral ventricle. Stem cells injection was performed 4 days after sciatic nerve surgery. Neuropathic mice were monitored 7, 10, 14, 17, and 21 days after surgery. hMSCs were able to reduce pain-like behaviors, such as mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, once transplanted in cerebral ventricle. Anti-nociceptive effect was detectable from day 10 after surgery (6 days post cell injection). Human MSCs reduced the mRNA levels of the pro-inflammatory interleukin IL-1β mouse gene, as well as the neural β-galactosidase over-activation in prefrontal cortex of SNI mice. Transplanted hMSCs were able to reduce astrocytic and microglial cell activation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pharmacology “L. Donatelli”, Department of Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, via S. Maria di Costantinopoli, 16, 80138, Naples, Italy

    Dario Siniscalco, Catia Giordano, Livio Luongo, Vito de Novellis, Francesco Rossi & Sabatino Maione

  2. Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology “A. Cascino”, Department of Experimental Medicine, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Umberto Galderisi, Nicola Alessio & Giovanni Di Bernardo

  3. University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

    Nicola Alessio

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  1. Dario Siniscalco
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  2. Catia Giordano
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Correspondence to Dario Siniscalco.

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Siniscalco, D., Giordano, C., Galderisi, U. et al. Intra-brain microinjection of human mesenchymal stem cells decreases allodynia in neuropathic mice. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 67, 655–669 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-009-0202-4

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