Clinical safety of intratesticular transplantation of allogeneic bone marrow multipotent stromal cells in stallions.
Abstract: Although stem cell therapy is a promising alternative for treatment of degenerative diseases, there are just few reports on the use of stem cells therapy in horse's reproductive system. This study aims to evaluate the effect of intratesticular injection of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) in healthy stallions, and its outcome on seminal parameters and fertility. In Experiment 1, 24 stallions were divided into treatment group (TG) and control group (CG). In the TG, an intratesticular application of MSC was performed, and in the CG, only PBS was used. Measurements of testicular volume, surface temperature and Doppler ultrasonography were performed 24 and 48 hr after treatments. Fifteen days after application, the testicles were removed and submitted to histological analysis. In Experiment 2, 3 fertile stallions received similarly treatment with MSCs. Physical examination and sperm analysis were performed weekly during 60 days after treatment, and at the end, semen from one of them was used for artificial inseminations of 6 healthy mares. In Experiment 1, clinical examinations showed no signals of acute inflammation on both groups according to the analysed variables (p > .05). Also, no signal of chronic inflammation was observed on histological evaluation. In Experiment 2, stallions presented no physical alterations or changes in sperm parameters, and a satisfactory fertility rate (83%; 5/6) was observed after AI. The results support the hypothesis that intratesticular application of bone marrow MSCs is a safe procedure, and this could be a promising alternative to treat testicular degenerative conditions.
© 2020 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Publication Date: 2020-01-26 PubMed ID: 31916315DOI: 10.1111/rda.13624Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research paper primarily focuses on testing the safety of a promising new technique wherein bone marrow stem cells are injected into the testicles of healthy stallions to study the effects on various seminal parameters and overall fertility. Two separate experiments were conducted to ensure accurate results and a conclusion was reached that this method could potentially be a safe and effective treatment for testicular degenerative diseases.
Experiment 1
- The first experiment involved a group of 24 stallions which were divided into a Treatment Group (TG) and a Control Group (CG).
- In the Treatment group, a procedure was performed where Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) from bone marrow were transplanted into the testicles of the stallions.
- On the other hand, the Control Group was treated only with Phosphate Buffer Solution (PBS), with no MSCs involved. This was to create a baseline standard for comparison to understand the effects of MSC treatment.
- The parameters of testicular volume, surface temperature, and ultrasound readings were recorded after 24 and 48 hours of the treatment.
- Finally, after 15 days of the procedure, the testicles were removed for a histological analysis to understand the long-term impacts and cell-level changes occurring due to the treatment.
Experiment 2
- The second experiment involved three stallions who went under the same MSC treatment as in Experiment 1.
- Physique examination and sperm analysis were carried out weekly for a period of 60 days post-treatment.
- At the end of this period, semen was taken from one stallion for artificial insemination of six healthy mares and monitor fertility rate post-treatment.
Findings and Conclusion
- The results from the first experiment showed no signs of acute inflammation in the tested stallions either from the Treatment or Control Group (P > 0.05). No signs of chronic inflammation were also observed in the histological analysis.
- In the second experiment, it was observed that there were no physical alterations or changes noted in the sperm parameters of the treated stallions. The fertility rates were also satisfactory (83%, 5 out of 6).
- These findings led to the conclusion that applying allogeneic bone marrow Multipotent Stromal Cells (MSCs) in the testicles of the stallions could potentially be an effective and safe procedure.
- The research concludes with the suggestion that this technique could serve as a promising alternative treatment for degenerative conditions of the testicles.
Cite This Article
APA
Papa PM, Guasti PN, De Vita B, Nakazato NG, Maia L, Freitas Dell'Aqua CP, Scheeren VFDC, Segabinazzi LGTM, de Andrade Junior LRP, Silva LFMC, Araújo EAB, Oliveira SN, Papa FO, Landim-Alvarenga FDC, Alvarenga MA.
(2020).
Clinical safety of intratesticular transplantation of allogeneic bone marrow multipotent stromal cells in stallions.
Reprod Domest Anim, 55(4), 429-437.
https://doi.org/10.1111/rda.13624 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Veterinary Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Fertility
- Horses
- Insemination, Artificial / veterinary
- Male
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / veterinary
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells
- Semen Analysis
- Testis / anatomy & histology
- Testis / physiology
- Transplantation Tolerance
- Transplantation, Homologous / veterinary
Grant Funding
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)
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