Evaluation of cell transplant-mediated attenuation of diffuse injury in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis using onVDMP CEST MRI.

Evaluation of cell transplant-mediated attenuation of diffuse injury in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis using onVDMP CEST MRI. Exp Neurol. 2020 Apr 15;:113316 Authors: Thomas AM, Li S, Chu C, Shats I, Xu J, Calabresi PA, van Zijl PCM, Walczak P, Bulte JWM Abstract The development and translation of cell therapies have been hindered by an inability to predict and evaluate their efficacy after transplantation. Using an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), we studied attenuation of the diffuse injury characteristic of EAE and MS by transplanted glial-restricted precursor cells (GRPs). We assessed the potential of on-resonance variable delay multiple pulse (onVDMP) chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI to visualize this attenuation. Allogeneic GRPs transplanted in the motor cortex or lateral ventricles attenuated paralysis in EAE mice and attenuated differences compared to naïve mice in onVDMP CEST signal 5 days after transplantation near the transplantation site. Histological analysis revealed that transplanted GRPs co-localized with attenuated astrogliosis. Hence, diffuse injury-sensitive onVDMP CEST MRI may complement conventional MRI to locate and monitor tissue regions responsive to GRP therapy. PMID: 32304749 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Experimental Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Exp Neurol Source Type: research