近日，據(jù)國外媒體報(bào)道,，美國哈佛大學(xué)干細(xì)胞研究所的杰弗里·馬克利斯及其研究團(tuán)隊(duì)的一項(xiàng)新研究表明,，神經(jīng)元移植能夠修復(fù)受損的大腦回路。這一發(fā)現(xiàn)有望推動(dòng)自閉癥和帕金森綜合征等腦部受損疾病的治療,。
據(jù)悉,，這些科學(xué)家從健康老鼠胚胎中取出神經(jīng)元，并將其移植到肥胖荷爾蒙（即瘦素）缺失的成年肥胖老鼠體內(nèi),。肥胖荷爾蒙的功能是促進(jìn)新陳代謝,，抑制食欲，控制體重,。
研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，這些神經(jīng)元在成年老鼠體內(nèi)存活，融入其大腦回路,，分化成4種神經(jīng)元,，與已有的神經(jīng)元相整合，對肥胖荷爾蒙,、胰島素和葡萄糖有所回應(yīng),。上述情況表明，植入的神經(jīng)元已經(jīng)修復(fù)了成年老鼠的大腦回路,。接受神經(jīng)元移植的患病老鼠,，比同類未接受治療的老鼠體重輕30%。
對于這項(xiàng)研究成果,，科學(xué)家們表示,，他們的研究目標(biāo)是治療帕金森病、自閉癥、癲癇等運(yùn)動(dòng)神經(jīng)元疾病和脊椎受損疾病,，研究肥胖癥狀只是因?yàn)槠湟曈X效果比較明顯,。
馬克利斯說：“我們用復(fù)雜的（大腦）回路來做實(shí)驗(yàn)，看看通過精心挑選和控制的神經(jīng)元移植是否能夠使受損的腦神經(jīng)重新連接,。研究表明,，神經(jīng)元不僅能夠發(fā)展成相應(yīng)的細(xì)胞，還能發(fā)出和接受受體大腦的信號(hào),。”
鑒于這次試驗(yàn)的成功,，馬克利斯對未來的研究信心滿滿。他說：“我們下一步將研究移植神經(jīng)元是否能修復(fù)其他的大腦回路和脊髓神經(jīng),，這些將涉及到運(yùn)動(dòng)神經(jīng)元疾病和脊髓損傷,。至于我們能不能重塑哺乳動(dòng)物的大腦回路，我想我們是可以的,。”(生物谷 Bioon.com)
doi:10.1126/science.1209870
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Transplanted Hypothalamic Neurons Restore Leptin Signaling and Ameliorate Obesity in db/db Mice
Artur Czupryn, Yu-Dong Zhou, Xi Chen, David McNay, Matthew P. Anderson, Jeffrey S. Flier, Jeffrey D. Macklis
Evolutionarily old and conserved homeostatic systems in the brain, including the hypothalamus, are organized into nuclear structures of heterogeneous and diverse neuron populations. To investigate whether such circuits can be functionally reconstituted by synaptic integration of similarly diverse populations of neurons, we generated physically chimeric hypothalami by microtransplanting small numbers of embryonic enhanced green fluorescent protein–expressing, leptin-responsive hypothalamic cells into hypothalami of postnatal leptin receptor–deficient (db/db) mice that develop morbid obesity. Donor neurons differentiated and integrated as four distinct hypothalamic neuron subtypes, formed functional excitatory and inhibitory synapses, partially restored leptin responsiveness, and ameliorated hyperglycemia and obesity in db/db mice. These experiments serve as a proof of concept that transplanted neurons can functionally reconstitute complex neuronal circuitry in the mammalian brain.
