The natural functional biopolymer matrix demonstrates to be a promise for safe cell therapy in Parkinson’s disease

Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are undifferentiated cells and can be isolated from many tissues, including adipose tissue. MSCs neuronal differentiation ability has arisen interest in research with these cells in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). To differentiate MSCs in cells that produce dopamine that posteriorly potential to be a safe cell therapy for PD. Methods MSCs were isolated from adipose tissue, characterized by flow cytometry and trilineage differentiation, and cultivated seeded on natural functional biopolymer matrix (NFBX) to differentiate in neuronal precursors. Finally, a neural precursor was cultivated in the dopaminergic differentiation medium. The immunocytochemistry was performed with antibody anti-Nestin for precursor neural and antibodies anti-ß III-tubulin and hydroxylase tyrosine. Then, quantification of dopamine was made by the ELISA kit in the culture medium. Results The cytometric analysis of MSCs and the trilineage test to chondrocyte, osteocyte, and adipocyte demonstrated their pluripotency. Cells seeded and cultivated over NFBX have developed neurospheres, and their mechanical dissociated cells were Nestin positive. Dopaminergic differentiation was confirmed with positivity for ß-III tubulin and hydroxylase tyrosine. The dopamine concentration was very high in one sample (74.91 ng/mL). Without this sample, the media was 2.34 ± 2.13 ng/mL. The difference between dopamine concentrations was probably due to donors' metabolic characteristics. Conclusions The MSCs differentiated in neural precursor cells without genetic modification or growth factors, using only this NFBX. When these neural precursors were induced to differentiate, they were available to produce dopamine, demonstrating a functional neuronal differentiation.