Expression of DeltaNp73 in hippocampus of APP/PS1 transgenic mice following GFP-BMSCs transplantation

Objective: To study the effect of hippocampal bone marrow stromal cells (GFP-BMSCs) transplantation on spatial memory and DeltaNp73 expression in APP/PS1 transgenic mice. Methods: Twelve APP/PS1 transgenic mice randomly received either 10 ml GFP-BMSCs suspension in medium (GFP-BMSCs transplantation group) or 10 ml complete medium (sham-operated group). Learning and memory function of mice in both groups were observed and tested in Morris water maze experiment at 2 weeks after surgery. Senile plaques and DeltaNp73 protein in hippocampuses were determined by immunohistochemistry and western blot at 3 weeks after surgery, respectively. Results: APP/PS1 mice treated with BMSCs performed significantly better on the water maze test than those in sham-operated group (P < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry showed that GFP-BMSCs distributed uniformly and the number of Alzheimer's senile plaques reduced after transplantation. Western blot showed that quantified DeltaNp73 protein expression was significantly higher in BMSCs transplantation group when compared with sham-operated group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Our results suggest that BMSCs transplatation could retard Alzheimer's disease (AD) like pathology and upregulate DeltaNp73 expression in hippocampuses of APP/PS1 transgenic mice. GFP-BMSCs transplantation will be a potential treatment for AD.