Year 2

The goal of this project is to take three human embryonic stem cell lines (Shef3, Shef4, and Shef6), transition them to multipotent neural stem cell (hNSC) populations, sort/enrich these hNSC stem/progenitor populations, and then test these cell lines for efficacy in a rat model of controlled cortical impact (CCI) model of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Our strategy is to develop xenofree culture methods for the transition of hESC to NSCs, use magnetic activated cell sorting (MAC) for the cell surface markers CD133+/CD34- to enrich the hNSC populations for stem/progenitor cells, test these sorted vs unsorted cell lines in tumorigenicity assays, and use the best two non-tumorigenic lines in a CCI model of TBI. Efficacy will be assessed on a battery of cognitive tests, via a reduction in spontaneous seizure, and in histological outcomes.

At the Two Year time-point in the grant, we have (A) generated 6 hNSC populations, (B) completed short-term teratoma assays which demonstrate that none of our hNSC populations form teratomas in either of two transplantation sites (sub cutaneous into the leg or intracranially into the brain, (C) established parameters for graded contusion traumatic brain injuries in ATN rats that (D) yield long-term (≥8 weeks) deficits in both learning and memory on the Morris Water Maze. (E) We have also determined that TBI yields an altered response on a conditioned taste aversion task (neophobia) and on the elevated plus maze compared to sham controls. (F) Determined that unsorted hNSCs (both Shef4 and Shef6) do not survive long-term in uninjured brain and (G) transplanted two large cohorts of TBI injured animals with Shef6 sorted NSCs of high passage, Shef6 sorted hNSCs of low passage, sham animals, and animals with a vehicle control. These two cohorts are too large to run simultaneously, so they are being run in parallel. Animals from both cohorts will complete functional all assessments by the end of June 2013.