Researchers in China have been able to transform human stem cells into dopamine-producing neurons and transplant them to rats, reducing depressive behaviors and increasing sensations of pleasure.
When implanted in rats conditioned with depressive condition, the developed neuronal cells helped relieve symptoms such as anxiety and resignation, while reinforcing the ability to enjoy rewarding experiences.
This advance may be used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders, acting directly on the repair of brain regions responsible for mood regulation, says.
“This work demonstrates that cellular therapy can be used to reconstruct dysfunctional neural circuits in psychiatric”, Say the authors of, in an article published last week in the magazine Cell Stem Cell.
Major depression is a major cause of disability worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions of people. Some patients develop treatment resistant forms, often associated with Apdonia, the inability to feel pleasure in activities that once gave them satisfaction. This condition can persist even when other symptoms of depression improve.
Dopaminergic neurons, responsible for the production of dopamine – key neurotransmitter in motivation, reward and movement – play a central role in Apedonia. The decrease in dopaminergic activity is associated with depressive states.
In the mesencéphalon there are three main subtypes from dopaminergic neurons: A8, A9 E A10.
Neurons A10 are particularly important in behaviors related to reward and motivation. Your dysfunction has been linked to depression, schizophrenia and drug dependencemaking them a promising target for therapies.
Human pluripotent stem cellscapable of differentiating in any cellular type, had already been used to generate dopaminergic neurons A9. However, efficient production of A10 neurons had so far been difficult to reach.
In the course of the study, a team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences at Fudan University, in collaboration with the company Unixell Biotechnology, developed a technique to generate neurons similar to A10applying a specific combination of chemicals at a certain phase of cell differentiation.
The resulting neurons presented the same properties UNIXELL BIOTECHNOLOGY and Electrical than natural A10 neurons.
When transplanted into rats exposed to chronic stress – a model of depression with symptoms of resignation and loss of pleasure – neurons led to comparable behaviors those observed with antidepressants.
A Reduction of anedonia and behavioral despairl, a state where animals Fail to try to escape danger situationsbecoming real estate.
The researchers found that the transplanted neurons were effective in the neural circuits, rEcebing signs of surrounding neuronswhich demonstrates the potential of this approach to repair damaged dopaminergic pathways.
According to the team, the specificity of cell therapy offers an advantage Regarding conventional drugs, as it significantly reduces unwanted side effects.
“This study provides a solid proof of concept for the use of A10 neurons in clinical therapies against higher depression and paves the way for new applications of cell therapy in psychiatric disorders,” the researchers conclude.
