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Abstract #4175

Immunomodulation and Magnetic Resonance Tracking of Transplanted Human Glial-Restricted Precursor Cells in a Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Heechul Kim1,2, Piotr Walczak1,2, Naser Muja1,2, James T. Campanelli3, Jeff W.M. Bulte1,2

1Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; 2Cellular Imaging Section, Institute for Cell Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; 3Q Therapeutics, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, United States


Magnetically labeled human glial restricted precursor (hGRP) cells were transplanted and tracked in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. The clinical severity of EAE was attenuated in hGRP-transplanted mice compared with controls. Hypointense MRI signals were detected primarily in the ventricles after transplantation. hGRP cell-treated mice showed a significant decrease in antigen-specific T cell proliferation in response to MOG and concanavalin A, compared to control mice. Based on the above results, we postulate that the signals generated from transplanted GRP cells in the ventricle modulate the systemic immune response.