Targeted Delivery of Iron Oxide Nanoparticle-Loaded Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Spherical Neural Masses for Treating Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

This study evaluated the potential of iron oxide nanoparticle-loaded human embryonic stem cell (ESC)-derived spherical neural masses (SNMs) to improve the transportation of stem cells to the brain, ameliorate brain damage from intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and recover the functional status after ICH under an external magnetic field of a magnet attached to a helmet. At 24 h after induction of ICH, rats were randomly separated into three experimental groups: ICH with injection of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS group), ICH with intravenous injection of magnetosome-like ferrimagnetic iron oxide nanocubes (FION)-labeled SNMs (SNMs* group), and ICH with intravenous injection of FION-labeled SNMs followed by three days of external magnetic field exposure for targeted delivery by a magnet-embedded helmet (SNMs*+Helmet group). On day 3 after ICH induction, an increased Prussian blue-stained area and decreased swelling volume were observed in the SNMs*+Helmet group compared with that of the other groups. A significantly decreased recruitment of macrophages and neutrophils and a downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines followed by improved neurological function three days after ICH were observed in the SNMs*+Helmet group. Hemispheric atrophy at six weeks after ICH was significantly decreased in the SNMs*+Helmet group compared with that of the PBS group. In conclusion, we have developed a targeted delivery system using FION tagged to stem cells and a magnet-embedded helmet. The targeted delivery of SNMs might have the potential for developing novel therapeutic strategies for ICH.

Distribution and in situ proliferation patterns of intravenously injected immortalized human neural stem-like cells in rats with focal cerebral ischemia.

Neural stem cells are considered as a candidate for cell replacement therapy in various neurological diseases. To investigate whether human neural stem cells can migrate into the adult ischemic rat brain, we transplanted immortalized human neural 'tem-like' cells intravenously 24 h after focal cerebral ischemia. The intravenously injected human neural stem-like cells were found around the infarcted area, differentiated into neurons and astrocytes in the lesioned areas, and survive up to 56 days after transplantation. The number of the injected cells increased between 7 and 14 days after transplantation with incorporating BrdU. Our findings show that intravenously injected human neural stem-like cells may incorporate into the ischemic brain, and undergo proliferation responding to the endogenous mitotic signal during the acute period of focal ischemia.