Very promising? Long wait.



https://stemcellsjournals.onlinelibr...2/sctm.18-0162


Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. At present, there is no effective cure for PD; treatments are symptomatic and do not halt progression of neurodegeneration. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can cross the blood–brain barrier and represent promising alternative to the classical treatment strategies. In the present study, we examined therapeutic effects of intranasal administration of EVs derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth stem cells (SHEDs) on unilateral 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) medial forebrain bundle (MFB) rat model of PD. CatWalk gait tests revealed that EVs effectively suppressed 6‐OHDA‐induced gait impairments. All tested gait parameters (stand, stride length, step cycle, and duty cycle) were significantly improved in EV‐treated animals when compared with 6‐OHDA‐lesion group rats. Furthermore, EVs slowed down numbers of 6‐OHDA‐induced contralateral rotations in apomorphine test. Improvements in motor function correlated with normalization of tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the striatum and substantia nigra. In conclusion, we demonstrated, for the first time, the therapeutic efficacy of intranasal administration of EVs derived from SHEDs in a rat model of PD induced by 6‐OHDA intra‐MFB lesion. Our findings could be potentially exploited for the development of new treatment strategies against PD.



Significance Statement

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth stem cells were administered intranasally in model‐rats of Parkinson’s disease (PD), obtained by unilateral injection of 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) into the medial forebrain bundle. It was demonstrated that EVs can effectively suppress 6‐OHDA‐induced gait impairments and normalize tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the striatum and in the substantia nigra of experimental rats. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report showing the therapeutic efficacy of intranasally administered EVs in the unilateral 6‐OHDA rat model of PD. The findings may be useful for the development of new treatment strategies against PD.