EVIDENCE FOR ACTIVE ACETYLCHOLINE METABOLISM IN HUMAN AMNIOTIC EPITHELIAL-CELLS - APPLICABLE TO INTRACEREBRAL ALLOGRAFTING FOR NEUROLOGIC DISEASE

Human amniotic epithelial (HAE) cells have been used for allotransplan tation in patients with lysosomal storage disease due to lack of expre ssion of HLA antigens, Previously, we hate reported the expression of differentiation markers for both neural stem cells, and neuron and gli al cells. In the present study, we investigated the presence of cholin e acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholine (ACh) in HAE cells using different experimental approaches. Cultured HAE cells showed strong im munoreactivity against ChAT antibody. ChAT activity in primary cells w as 24.9 +/- 8.5 pmol/mg protein/h, Using HPLC with electrochemical det ection, ACh was detected in both cell incubation media, and cell pelle ts indicating that these cells synthesize and release ACh in a time-de pendent manner. Additional confirmation of this hypothesis was gained from the data obtained from RT-PCR and Western blot analyses which rev ealed the expression of ChAT mRNA and ChAT protein, respectively, in H AE cells, Results of the present study suggest that HAE cells can poss ibly be applied for intracerebral allografting to treat neurologic dis eases in which cholinergic neurons are damaged. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scie nce Ireland Ltd.