Neural transplantation using pluripotent neuroepithelial cells

• US 20060051326A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fiza Rashid-Doubell, Helen Hodges, Jeffrey A. Gray, John Sinden, Timothy Kershaw
• Original Assignee: Fiza Rashid-Doubell, Helen Hodges, Jeffrey A. Gray, John Sinden, Timothy Kershaw
• Inventors: Gray, Jeffrey A., Sinden, John, Rashid-Doubell, Fiza, Hodges, Helen, Kershaw, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 7,371,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/93.700
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/12 Materials from mammals; Compositions comprising non-specified tissues or cells; Compositions comprising non-embryonic stem cells; Genetically modified cells vaccines or medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies A61K39/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/30 Nerves; Brain; Eyes; Corneal cells; Cerebrospinal fluid; Neuronal stem cells; Neuronal precursor cells; Glial cells; Oligodendrocytes; Schwann cells; Astroglia; Astrocytes; Choroid plexus; Spinal cord tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/28 for treating neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system, e.g. nootropic agents, cognition enhancers, drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2500/25 Insulin-transferrin; Insulin-transferrin-selenium
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2500/90 Serum-free medium, which may still contain naturally-sourced components
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2501/115 Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, FGF-2)
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2501/24 Interferons [IFN]
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2501/392 Sexual steroids
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2501/395 Thyroid hormones
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2501/91 Heparin
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0623 Stem cells

Abstract

The subject invention pertains to a novel method of correction of behavioral and/or psychological deficits made possible by the intracerebral transplantation of pluripotent neuroepithelial cells. Cells, cell lines, pharmaceutical preparations, medicaments, methods for the production and maintenance of the cell lines for use in the method of the invention are encompassed by the invention.

Claims

1. A method of treating a behavioral or psychological deficit in an animal which comprises intracerebral transplantation of a therapeutically effective amount of pluripotent neuroepithelial cells to said animal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein tests for cognitive function are carried out before and after transplantation of said pluripotent neuroepithelial cells.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said cells are conditionally immortal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said cells are isolated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said animal is a human.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said cells are from a single cell line.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said cells are a mixture of cells from two or more cell lines.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said cells have a high degree of potency.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the proliferation of said cells is increased by the addition of FGF2 in vitro under both permissive and non-permissive conditions.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said cells differ from those found in nature only in that said cells comprise exogenous DNA necessary to provide conditional immortality, and optionally to allow cloning.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said behavioral or psychological deficit is the result of hypoxia.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said cells are human cells.

13-48. -48. (canceled)

49. A method of treating an animal having a damaged brain, said method comprising intracerebral transplantation of a therapeutically effective amount of a cell line into the damaged brain of said animal, said cell line comprising conditionally immortal, pluripotent, neuroepithelial stem cells, wherein said cell line is obtainable by culturing said stem cells under permissive conditions in serum-free medium into the damaged brain of said animal.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said serum-free medium comprises a growth factor.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein said growth factor is FGF2.

52. A method for treating a behavioral or psychological deficit caused by damage to, or loss of, brain cells in a mammal which comprises intracerebral transplantation to said mammal of undifferentiated pluripotent cells having neuronal and glial potential, wherein said transplanted cells migrate and differentiate to replace, or compensate for, said lost or damaged brain cells.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said undifferentiated pluripotent cells are conditionally immortal.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein said undifferentiated pluripotent cells are nestin-positive prior to said intracerebral transplantation.

55. The method of claim 52, wherein said undifferentiated pluripotent cells are from a clonal cell line.

56. The method of claim 52, wherein said behavioral or psychological deficit is the result of hypoxia.