Intranasally applied human olfactory mucosa neural progenitor cells migrate to damaged brain regions

AIM: To determine if intranasally administered olfactory mucosa progenitor cells (OMPCs) migrate to damaged areas of brain. MATERIALS & METHODS: Rowett Nude (RNU) adult rats were injured using the Marmarou model then 2 weeks later received intranasally-delivered human OMPC. After 3 weeks, rats were sacrificed and brain sectioned. The mean distances from the human OMPCs to markers for degenerative neuronal cell bodies (p-c-Jun(+)), axonal swellings on damaged axons (β-APP(+)) and random points in immunostained sections were quantified. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze data. RESULTS: The human OMPCs were seen in specific areas of the brain near degenerating cell bodies and damaged axons. CONCLUSION: Intranasally delivered human OMPC selectively migrate to brain injury sites suggesting a possible noninvasive stem cell delivery for brain injury.