Abstracts

Rationale: Epilepsy is a progressive disorder, and cell therapies using diverse strategies are being tried for anti-epileptogenesis recently. The olfactory neuroepithelial progenitor cells (ONPCs) have the capacity to continually replace damaged neurons and glia throughout life and form neurospheres. Adult human ONPCs can provide a unique source of adult neural progenitors, which can be obtained from an individual without invasive surgery. In this study, we investigated the effects of engrafted human adult ONPCs on modulation of the epileptic brain in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy.Methods: We isolated and cultured adult human ONECs from patients undergoing endoscopic nasal sinus surgery. Epileptic insult was given by pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus. We transplanted 5x105 cells bilaterally into the transition zone of subiculum and entorhinal cortex at 3 days after status epilepticus.Results: The transplanted cells survived in the ischemic rat brains over 5 weeks post-transplantation. Targeted migration of the transplanted cells was seen in the CA1, CA3, piriform cortex and entorhinial cortex with phenotypes of inhibitory GABAergic interneurons. These transplanted cells exerted GABAergic inhibition of the neuronal excitability, and suppressed recurrent seizures.Conclusions: These results highlight the unique potential of human ONPCs an autologous cell source for anti-epileptogenesis.