The TRIM protein Mitsugumin 53 enhances survival and therapeutic efficacy of stem cells in murine traumatic brain injury

• Published in: Stem cell research & therapy Vol. 10; no. 1; p. 352
• Main Authors: Guan, Fangxia, Huang, Tuanjie, Wang, Xinxin, Xing, Qu, Gumpper, Kristyn, Li, Peng, Song, Jishi, Tan, Tao, Yang, Greta Luyuan, Zang, Xingxing, Zhang, Jiewen, Wang, Yuming, Yang, Yunlei, Liu, Yashi, Zhang, Yanting, Yang, Bo, Ma, Jianjie, Ma, Shanshan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 28.11.2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; AKT protein; Analysis; Animal cognition; Animal experimentation; Anxiety; Apoptosis; Brain; Brain damage; Brain injuries; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell survival; Cerebral edema; Death; Edema; Experiments; Hydrogen peroxide; Intravenous administration; Laboratory animals; Mesenchyme; Mitsugumin 53; Neurogenesis; Neurological diseases; Neuroprotection; Oxidative stress; PI3K-Akt-GSK3β; Proteins; Senescence; Stem cell transplantation; Stem cells; Traumatic brain injury; Umbilical cord; Maryland; United States > US; Neuroprotection; Mitsugumin 53; Traumatic brain injury; PI3K-Akt-GSK3β; Stem cells
• ISSN: 1757-6512; 1757-6512
• DOI: 10.1186/s13287-019-1433-4

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common neurotrauma leading to brain dysfunction and death. Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) hold promise in the treatment of TBI. However, their efficacy is modest due to low survival and differentiation under the harsh microenvironment of the injured brain. MG53, a member of TRIM family protein, plays a vital role in cell and tissue damage repair. The present study aims to test whether MG53 preserves hUC-MSCs against oxidative stress and enhances stem cell survival and efficacy in TBI treatment. In this study, we performed a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments in hUC-MSCs and mice to define the function of MG53 enhancing survival, neurogenesis, and therapeutic efficacy of stem cells in murine traumatic brain injury. We found that recombinant human MG53 (rhMG53) protein protected hUC-MSCs against H O -induced oxidative damage and stimulated hUC-MSC proliferation and migration. In a mouse model of contusion-induced TBI, intravenous administration of MG53 protein preserved the survival of transplanted hUC-MSCs, mitigated brain edema, reduced neurological deficits, and relieved anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. Co-treatment of MG53 and hUC-MSCs enhanced neurogenesis by reducing apoptosis and improving PI3K/Akt-GSK3β signaling. MG53 enhances the efficacy of hUC-MSCs in the recovery of TBI, indicating that such adjunctive therapy may provide a novel strategy to lessen damage and optimize recovery for brain injury.