Exposure to GDNF Enhances the Ability of Enteric Neural Progenitors to Generate an Enteric Nervous System

Sonja J McKeown; Mitra Mohsenipour; Annette J Bergner; Heather M Young; Lincon A Stamp

Journal article

Exposure to GDNF Enhances the Ability of Enteric Neural Progenitors to Generate an Enteric Nervous System

Sonja J McKeown, Mitra Mohsenipour, Annette J Bergner, Heather M Young, Lincon A Stamp

STEM CELL REPORTS | CELL PRESS | Published : 2017

DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2016.12.013

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Abstract

Cell therapy is a promising approach to generate an enteric nervous system (ENS) and treat enteric neuropathies. However, for translation to the clinic, it is highly likely that enteric neural progenitors will require manipulation prior to transplantation to enhance their ability to migrate and generate an ENS. In this study, we examine the effects of exposure to several factors on the ability of ENS progenitors, grown as enteric neurospheres, to migrate and generate an ENS. Exposure to glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) resulted in a 14-fold increase in neurosphere volume and a 12-fold increase in cell number. Following co-culture with embryonic gut or transplantation into t..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Heather Young Author Anatomy and Physiology

Annette Bergner Author Anatomy and Physiology

Lincon Stamp Author Anatomy and Physiology

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Awarded by NHMRC Project

Awarded by NHMRC Senior Fellowship

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NHMRC Project Grant APP1043397 to H. M.Y. and S.J.McK., NHMRC Project Grant APP1079234 to H.M.Y. and L.A.S., and NHMRC Senior Fellowship APP1002506 to H.M.Y. We thank Dr. Vanda Lennon (Mayo Clinic) for kindly providing the HUC/D antiserum, Dr. Thomas Muller (MaxDelbruck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin) for providing the B-FABP antiserum, Dr. Piers Emson (Cambridge University) for providing the nNOS antiserum, Professor Hideki Enomoto (Kobe University School of Medicine) for kindly providing the Ednrb- hKikGR mice and the PHOX2B antiserum, and Jan Morgan for excellent technical assistance.