Development of human striatal anlagen after transplantation in a patient with Huntington's disease

• Published in: Experimental neurology Vol. 213; no. 1; pp. 241 - 244
• Main Authors: Gallina, Pasquale, Paganini, Marco, Lombardini, Letizia, Saccardi, Riccardo, Marini, Mirca, De Cristofaro, Maria Teresa, Pinzani, Pamela, Salvianti, Francesca, Crescioli, Clara, Di Rita, Andrea, Bucciantini, Sandra, Mechi, Claudia, Sarchielli, Erica, Moretti, Marco, Piacentini, Silvia, Gritti, Gaetano, Bosi, Alberto, Sorbi, Sandro, Orlandini, Giovanni, Vannelli, Gabriella B., Di Lorenzo, Nicola
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01-09-2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Tissue Transplantation - methods; Cells, Cultured; Corpus Striatum - embryology; Corpus Striatum - metabolism; Corpus Striatum - transplantation; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Female; Fetal striatal tissue; Fetal Tissue Transplantation - methods; Functional Laterality - physiology; Graft Survival - physiology; Humans; Huntington Disease - pathology; Huntington Disease - physiopathology; Huntington Disease - therapy; Huntington's disease; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medical sciences; Neuroblasts; Neurology; Neuronal Plasticity - physiology; Neuronavigation; Neurotransplantation; Positron-Emission Tomography; Restoration; Stereotaxic Techniques; Treatment Outcome; Neurotransplantation; Fetal striatal tissue; Restoration; Huntington's disease; Neuroblasts; Human; Nervous system diseases; Huntington disease; Transplantation; Genetic disease; Cerebral disorder; Central nervous system disease; Degenerative disease; Extrapyramidal syndrome
• ISSN: 0014-4886; 1090-2430
• DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2008.06.003

Replacement of damaged neuronal population by fetal tissue transplantation represents a potential treatment for neurodegenerative diseases. Consistent success has been achieved with fetal striatal transplantation in Huntington's disease animal models and patients. We report the neo-generation of metabolically active tissue with striatum-like imaging features after transplantation of striatal primordia in a patient with Huntington's disease. This study represents the first “
in vivo” demonstration that a human striatal anlagen, transplanted into the adult human brain, is able to progress in its development and to generate a new anatomical structure in the host, without evidence of neoplasia or teratoma.