Mesenchymal stem cells:As a multi-target cell therapy for clearingβ-amyloid deposition in Alzheimer’s disease

Extracellularβ-amyloid(Aβ)plaques and neurofibrillary tangles(NFTs)are the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease(AD).Studies have shown that aggregates of extracellular Aβcan induce neuroinflammation mediated neurotoxic signaling through microglial activation and release of pro-inflammatory factors.Thus,modulation of Aβmight be a potential therapeutic strategy for modifying disease progression.Recently,a large number of reports have confirmed the beneficial effects of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)on AD.It is believed to reduce neuroinflammation,reduce Aβamyloid deposits and NFTs,increase acetylcholine levels,promote neurogenesis,reduce neuronal damage,and improve working memory and cognition.In this review,we focus on the role of MSCs in clearing Aβdeposition.MSCs have the potential to modulate Aβ-related microenvironments via enhancement of autophagy,proteolysis of Aβaggregates,phagocytic clearance of Aβby microglial M2 polarization,decrease oxidative stress(OS),and correction of abnormal sphingolipid(SL)metabolism.With advantages in clinical applications,these data suggest that the use of MSCs as a multi-target modulator of Aβwould be an effective therapeutic approach in AD.

Gene expression of granulosa and cumulus cells: The prospect inpredicting the quality and developmental competence of oocytesin vitro maturation

In vitro maturation(IVM),a promising assisted reproductive technology(ART),has been evolving in clinical trials and applications.There is a huge potential demand for IVM in clinical practice because it reduces the stimulation of gonadotropins to patients and provides evidence for the safety of neonatal birth.Unfortunately,the maturation rate of oocytes in vitro is not as high as it is in vivo due to a different microenvironment.Moreover,there are still controversies in predicting the developmental capability of oocytes in IVM.The granulosa cells(GCs)and cumulus cells(CCs),closely surrounding the oocytes,play a critical role in oocytes development,while some studies have shown that they can reflect the quality of oocytes.Many studies have been conducted in terms of oocyte quality in transcriptional level in GCs and CCs of mice,Xenopus africanus,and Homo sapiens,which provides important enlightenment for the successful clinical application of IVM.However,no comprehensive reviews about how gene expression profiles affect oocytes quality have been reported.This review aimed to elucidate the gene expression profiles of GCs and CCs that have effects on the quality and developmental competence of oocytes maturation in vitro.And we also put forward a possible idea for ART in the future,integrating all gene expression profiles of GCs and CCs and predicting the quality of the oocytes.