Stem Cells Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stem Cells, including details on research, transplants, therapy, benefits.

MDMA (Ecstasy) Decreases the Number of Neurons and Stem Cells in Embryonic Cortical Cultures.

Kindlundh-Högberg AM, Pickering C, Wicher G, Hobér D, Schiöth HB, Fex Svenningsen A

Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, BMC Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden, Anna.Kindlundh@neuro.uu.se.

Ecstasy, 3,4-methylenedioxymetamphetamine (MDMA), is a recreational drug used among adolescents, including young pregnant women. MDMA passes the placental barrier and may therefore influence fetal development. The aim was to investigate the direct effect of MDMA on cortical cells using dissociated CNS cortex of rat embryos, E17. The primary culture was exposed to a single dose of MDMA and collected 5 days later. MDMA caused a dramatic, dose-dependent (100 and 400 muM) decrease in nestin-positive stem cell density, as well as a significant reduction (400 muM) in NeuN-positive cells. By qPCR, MDMA (200 muM) caused a significant decrease in mRNA expression of the 5HT3 receptor, dopamine D(1) receptor, and glutamate transporter EAAT2-1, as well as an increase in mRNA levels of the NMDA NR1 receptor subunit and the 5HT(1A) receptor. In conclusion, MDMA caused a marked reduction in stem cells and neurons in embryonic cortical primary cell cultures, which was accompanied by changes in mRNA expression of specific receptors and transporters for glutamatergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitters.

Published 29 January 2010 in Cell Mol Neurobiol, 30(1): 13-21.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

Articles on Stem Cells published 29 January 2010:

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We investigated the combination of human adipose tissue derived stem cells (ADSC) and in vivo gel-forming methoxy poly (ethyleneglycol)-poly (varepsilon-caprolactone) (MPEG-PCL) as a muscle regeneration matrix, with and without inclusion of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF). VEGF(165)-treated stem cell grafts showed significant proliferation and differentiation into muscle tissue in vivo. Importantly, the inclusion of VEGF enhanced vascularization. This scaffold supported ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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We report an injectable hydrogel scaffold system with tunable stiffness for controlling the proliferation rate and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in a three-dimensional (3D) context in normal growth media. The hydrogels composed of gelatin-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid (Gtn-HPA) conjugate were formed using the oxidative coupling of HPA moieties catalyzed by hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The stiffness of the hydrogels was readily tuned by ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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The growth of stem cells can be modulated by physical factors such as extracellular matrix nanotopography. We hypothesize that nanotopography modulates cell behavior by changing the integrin clustering and focal adhesion (FA) assembly, leading to changes in cytoskeletal organization and cell mechanical properties. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) cultured on 350nm gratings of tissue-culture polystyrene (TCPS) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) showed decreased expression of integrin subunits ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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Amniotic fluid-derived stem cells (AFSCs) are becoming an important source of cells for regenerative medicine given their apparent advantages of accessibility, renewal capacity and multipotentiality. In the intermediate stage between the embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and adult stem cells, AFSCs may have a distinct mechanism to choose their fate. Unfortunately, until now, little is known about how bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) control the osteoblastic differentiation of AFSCs, especially on ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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The aim of the current study was to visualize new bone formed in vivo on a small intestine submucosa (SIS) sponge used as a tissue-engineered scaffold for the repair of damaged bone. The SIS sponge provided a three-dimensional pore structure, and supported good attachment and viability of rat bone marrow stem cells (rBMSCs). To examine bone regeneration, we prepared full-thickness bilateral bone defects in the rat crania, and then treated the defects with an implanted SIS sponge or PGA mesh ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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