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Human Dermal Fibroblasts As A Novel Therapeutic Agent For Neuroinflammation

CSEF · 2023 Biochemistry/ Molecular Biology Second Award

Krishnan Maya · 11

Overview

Background: Rising healthcare costs and negative impacts on quality of life are challenges faced by the elderly suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, involving neuroinflammation such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Current therapeutic regimes can mitigate the effects of neuroinflammation but not reverse it. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) can reverse neuroinflammation, but are not commercially viable. Human Dermal Fibroblasts exhibit similar anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and differentiation potential as MSCs for reversing neuroinflammation, and are easily harvested. This project presents a breakthrough novel therapeutic agent based on human dermal fibroblasts, as it was hypothesized that they will reverse neuroinflammation. Methods: Ten C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with 2 mg/kg of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of the serotype O55:B5 to induce acute neuroinflammation. After one hour, mice were injected through the eye with 0.1 mL of human dermal fibroblasts (5*105). Blood collection occurred before LPS administration, between LPS and fibroblast administration, and two hours post-fibroblast administration. The Novel Object Recognition Test (NORT) and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) tested for changes in recognition memory and Interleukin-1Beta levels, respectively. Results: Optical density readings from the ELISA showed an increase in IL-1β one hour post-LPS administration and a decrease in IL-1β post-fibroblast administration. Mice on average mimicked the wild-type NORT expectation of spending significantly more time with the novel object. Conclusion: Fibroblasts decrease neuroinflammation, decrease IL-1β cytokine levels and normalize NORT memory. Future steps to advance translational efforts include replicate cohorts, different behavioral tests, more inflammatory cytokine analyses, and immunohistochemistry of brain tissue.

Source coverage

This record comes from a published award list, not a complete project archive. Its abstract comes from CSEF's public project showcase as archived by the Internet Archive before judging (https://web.archive.org/web/20230401224130/https://ca-csef.zfairs.com/showcase/ShowcaseInfo?f=838e60b7-ea75-46e8-865c-fde4864244b3); the version presented may differ.

Awards (1)

Competition history

  • CSEF 2023 Biochemistry/ Molecular Biology · Entry S0519

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