Neural transplantation of hNT neurons for Huntington's disease

Fetal striatal tissue transplants have been shown to restore motor deficits in rat and monkey models of Huntington's disease (HD). In the present stud y, using rats with unilateral striatal lesions, we compared fetal striatal tissue transplants to transplants of human NT (hNT) neurons. hNT neurons ar e terminally differentiated cells derived from the human NTera-2 cell line. In vitro, we have found that purified hNT neurons have a biochemical pheno type similar to that of human fetal striatal tissue. Both hNT neurons and f etal striatal tissue express mRNAs for glutamic acid decarboxylase, choline acetyltransferase, and the D-1 and D-2 dopamine receptors. Grafts of eithe r hNT neurons or fetal striatal tissue into unilateral quinolinic acid-lesi oned rat striatum improved methamphetamine-induced circling behavior. Sham controls showed no changes in methamphetamine-induced circling behavior. In the staircase test for skilled forelimb use, both transplant groups showed partial recovery in skilled use of the paw contralateral to the side of le sion, whereas the control animals showed continued deficits. These findings suggest that transplantation of hNT neurons may be an alternative to trans plantation of fetal striatal tissue in the treatment of HD.