Year 1

A distinguished group of scientists was assembled by Dr. Stuart Lipton to plan a strategy to develop a human embryonic stem cell line expressing a constitutively active form of the transcription factor MEF2 (MEF2CA) into a therapeutic for treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD), as funded by this planning grant. Preliminary data presented showed directed differentiation of the stem cells into mature dopaminergic cells and a positive outcome, histologically, electrophysiologically and behaviorally, when transplanted into a rat model. The salient features of the preliminary data show that the cells showed a strong propensity to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons, remaining endogenous dopaminergic neurons were saved from death or recruited to synthesize more dopamine through trophic interactions, and the behavioral readout showed that the rats’ neuromotor deficits were improved. An additional feature of the transplanted cells produced by the presented strategy was that none of the MEF2CA-expressing cells were hyperproliferative, indicating that tumor formation will not be a problem with their use. A strategy to further develop the cells under GMP conditions, test in rat and monkey models of PD and begin regulatory compliance for FDA approval was developed. Importantly, insertion of the Mef2CA gene in the stable stem cell line was verified by sequencing to occur at non-essential site of integration.