Neuro-restorative effect of sertoli cell transplants in a rat model of amyloid beta toxicity

•Grafted Sertoli cells (SCs) exhibited a decline in apoptosis in a rat model of amyloid beta toxicity.•Implantation of SCs in rats with Aβ1-42 receiving vehicle decreased the amount of gliosis.•We found that implanted SCs can recover hippocampus dependent memory and learning.•Transplanted SCs restored long-term synaptic plasticity in lesioned rats. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative nerve disease which adversely affects memory and learning skills. Currently, there is no disease-modifying therapeutic approach for AD. However, a growing body of literature suggests cell based therapies as a promising remedy for neurological disorders. Among the potential cell sources, testis- derived Sertoli cells (SCs) appear to be an attractive choice due to their immune-privileged capacities. Herein, we investigated the neuro-restorative/protective effects of SC transplants in a rat model of amyloid beta toxicity. To this end, GATA-4 and vimentin positive SCs were transplanted into rats with amyloid beta induced hippocampal lesions. According to our in vivo results, implanted SCs survived, exhibited reduction in both apoptosis as well as astrocytic migration. Additionally, transplantation of SCs restored hippocampus dependent memory and learning, along with the recovery of long-term synaptic plasticity. Taken together, these data indicate that SCs are a valuable source for cell-based therapies particularly aimed at AD.