Embryonic MGE Precursor Cells Grafted into Adult Rat Striatum Integrate and Ameliorate Motor Symptoms in 6-OHDA-Lesioned Rats

We investigated a strategy to ameliorate the motor symptoms of rats that received 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions, a rodent model of Parkinson's disease, through transplantation of embryonic medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) cells into the striatum. During brain development, embryonic MGE cells migrate into the striatum and neocortex where they mature into GABAergic interneurons and play a key role in establishing the balance between excitation and inhibition. Unlike most other embryonic neurons, MGE cells retain the capacity for migration and integration when transplanted into the postnatal and adult brain. We performed MGE cell transplantation into the basal ganglia of control and 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. Transplanted MGE cells survived, differentiated into GABA+ neurons, integrated into host circuitry, and modifed motor behavior in both lesioned and control rats. Our data suggest that MGE cell transplantation into the striatum is a promising approach to investigate the potential benefits of remodeling basal ganglia circuitry in neurodegenerative diseases. ► Embryonic MGE cells were transplanted into the adult striatum of 6-OHDA-treated rats ► MGE cells transplanted into the adult striatum differentiate into GABAergic neurons ► MGE cells integrate and modify striatal-dependent motor behavior ► MGE cells ameliorate motor symptoms in the rat 6-OHDA model of Parkinson's disease