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Testis-derived Sertoli cells survive and provide localized immunoprotection for xenografts in rat brain

Nature Biotechnology volume 14, pages 1692–1695 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

Transplantation of neural tissue into the mammalian central nervous system has become an alternative treatment for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Logistical and ethical problems in the clinical use of human fetal neural grafts as a source of dopamine for Parkinson's disease patients has hastened a search for successful ways to use animal dopaminergic cells for human transplantation. The present study demonstrates that transplanted testis-derived Sertoli cells into adult rat brains survive. Furthermore, when cotransplanted with bovine adrenal chromaffin cells (xenograft), Sertoli cells produce localized immunoprotection, suppress microglial response and allow the bovine cells to survive in the rat brain without continuous systemic immunosuppressive drugs. These novel features support Sertoli cells as a viable graft source for facilitating the use of xenotransplantation for Parkinson's disease and suggest their use as facilitators (i.e., localized immunosuppression) for cell transplantation in general.

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Author notes

  1. Paul R. Sanberg: psanberg@coml.med.usf.edu

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurological Surgery, Departments of Surgery, Neurology, Psychiatry, and Pharmacology, University of South Florida College of Medicine, MDC Box 16, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL, 33612

    Paul R. Sanberg & Cesario V. Borlongan

  2. Department of Anatomy, University of South Florida College of Medicine, MDC Box 16, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL, 33612

    Samuel Saporta & Don F. Cameron

Authors
  1. Paul R. Sanberg
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  2. Cesario V. Borlongan
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  3. Samuel Saporta
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  4. Don F. Cameron
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Sanberg, P., Borlongan, C., Saporta, S. et al. Testis-derived Sertoli cells survive and provide localized immunoprotection for xenografts in rat brain. Nat Biotechnol 14, 1692–1695 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1296-1692

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