Cell fate analysis of embryonic ventral mesencephalic grafts in the 6-OHDA model of Parkinson's disease.

ABSTRACT: Evidence from carefully conducted open label clinical trials suggested that therapeutic benefit can be achieved by grafting fetal dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons derived from ventral mesencephalon (VM) into the denervated striatum of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. However, two double-blind trials generated negative results reporting deleterious side effects such as prominent dyskinesias. Heterogeneous composition of VM grafts is likely to account for suboptimal clinical efficacy.We consider that gene expression patterns of the VM tissue needs to be better understood by comparing the genetic signature of the surviving and functioning grafts with the cell suspensions used for transplantation. In addition, it is crucial to assess whether the grafted cells exhibit the DAergic phenotype of a

SUBMITTER: Neto SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3510255 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature