Exposure of foetal mesencephalic cells to bone morphogenetic protein-2 enhances the survival of dopaminergic neurones in rat striatal grafts

The transplantation of foetal mesencephalic cells (FMC) into the brain stri atal system is an emerging treatment for Parkinson's disease, despite of th e relatively poor survival of implanted cells. The ability of neurotrophic factors to regulate neurone survival and differentiation suggests they coul d be used to enhance the success of cerebral grafts. We analyzed the effect of pre-treatment of FMC suspensions with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP -2) (50 ng/ml) prior to grafting into the striatum of 6-hydroxydopamine les ioned rats. The viability of a FMC suspension was enhanced in vitro by BMP- 2. Four weeks after transplantation, the number of dopaminergic neurones wa s higher and their morphology more developed in grafts pre-treated with BMP -2, compared with non-pre-treated grafts and rats showed a significant redu ction in the turning behaviour test. Thus, the pre-treatment of FMCs with B MP-2 should be considered, together with other neurotrophic factors, as a p rocedure for transplantational treatment of Parkinson's disease. (C) 1999 E lsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.