Comparative study of the potential of immune response and of the immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells of the umbilical cord versus the adipose tissue in the mdx mouse model

• Grant number: 10/16784-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2010
• End date: November 30, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Immunogenetics
• Principal Investigator: Mayana Zatz
• Grantee: Camila Nascimento Amorim de Almeida
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Stem cells (SC) are cells capable of self-renewal and of differentiation into several types of cells. Due to these characteristics, recently there has been great interest in the study of stem cells' therapeutic applications. A matter that deserves attention refers to the control of the immune response of the host and to the tolerance of cellular transplants. Among the pathologies of genetic origin that can benefit from the use of cellular therapy, the progressive muscular dystrophies (PMD) deserve honorable mention. Among the PMDs, the most severe and common form is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), of recessive heritage linked to the X chromosome, affecting only male children. Considering the genetic nature of muscular dystrophies, there is a need to make use of heterologous transplants, without the the rejection of the cells injected in the host. The animal model most commonly used in the studies of DMD is the mdx mouse, given its mutation in the dystrophin gene that results in the complete deficiency of the dystrophin protein. The goal of this project is to analyze the evolution of the immune response following the transplant of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) of the umbilical cord (hUCMSC) and of the adipose tissue (hASC) in the mdx mouse model. For that, we seek to compare temporally the immune response of groups injected once with groups injected several times with the same cell types. These results will be of extreme importance to the future studies involving MSC transplants.