Effects of neural stem cell-derived exosomes on MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease in mice

The objective of the study is to establish an extraction method of exosomes (Exos) from neural stem cells (NSCs) and to explore the effect of exosomes on 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine, MPTP). In this study, neural stem cell-derived exosomes (NSC-Exos) were extracted for treatment; a mouse model of PD induced by MPTP was established. After the treatment with NSC-Exos, the behavioral ability of mice in the EXO group was significantly improved compared to that in the MPTP group. The biochemical index test results showed that compared with that in the MPTP group, the activity of SOD and the content of GSH in the serum of mice in the EXO group increased (P < 0.01), while the content of MDA decreased (P < 0.05). Hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) was used to observe the histopathological morphological changes in the brain of PD mice. Western blot results showed that compared with that in the MPTP group, after the treatment with NSC-Exos, the expression level of α-syn protein in the brain tissue of mice in the EXO group decreased, while that of TH protein increased (P < 0.05); compared with those in the MPTP group, the expression levels of I-κB, NF-κB, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α proteins increased (P < 0.01). The 16S rDNA sequencing results of mouse gut microbiota showed that compared with that in the MPTP group, the abundance of Firmicutes decreased (P < 0.05), while the abundance of Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria increased (P < 0.05) in the EXO group. The results of this study indicate that NSC-Exos have a certain therapeutic effect on the MPTP-induced PD in mice.