Transplanted human neural precursor cells integrate into the host neural circuit and ameliorate neurological deficits in a mouse model of traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is to date one of the major critical conditions causing death and disability worldwide. Exogenous neural stem/precursor cells (NSCs/NPCs) hold great promise for improving neurological dysfunction, but their functional properties in vivo remain unknown. Human neural precursor cells (hNPCs) carrying one fluorescent reporter gene (DsRed) can be observed directly in vivo using two-photon laser-scanning microscope. Therefore, we evaluated the neural integration and potential therapeutic effect of hNPCs on mice with TBI. Behavioral tests were performed by rotarod task and Morris Water Maze task. Neural integration was detected by fluorometric Ca2+ imaging and nerve tracing. We found that motor and cognition functions were significantly improved in mice with hNPCs injection compared to mice with vehicle treatment, and hNPCs integrated into the host circuit and differentiated toward neuronal lineage. Our study provided reliable evidence for further hNPCs transplantation in clinical practice.