Cytokines produced by cultured human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) cells: implications for brain repair.

The potential therapeutic benefits from human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) cells for the treatment of injuries, diseases, and neurodegeneration are becoming increasingly recognized. The transplantation or infusion of cord blood cells in various animal models, such as ischemia/stroke, traumatic brain injury, myocardial infarction, Parkinson's disease, and amyotropic lateral sclerosis, has resulted in amelioration of behavioral deficits, and with some diseases, a prolonged lifespan decreased neuropathology. Previously, we reported the migration of HUCB cells to ischemic brain supernatant (tissue extracts) is time-dependent, and the expression of specific chemokines responds to this migration pattern.

Stroke-induced migration of human umbilical cord blood cells: time course and cytokines.

The therapeutic window for treatment of individuals after stroke is narrow, regardless of the treatment regime; extension of this window would provide a major therapeutic advance. In prior reports, we demonstrated significant improvements in the behavioral defects of rats that received human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) cells 24 h after a middle cerebral arterial occlusion. These effects paralleled the recruitment of these cells to the site of tissue damage.

Anxiolytic effects of mecamylamine in two animal models of anxiety.

Clinical and preclinical evidence suggests that mecamylamine, a nicotinic receptor antagonist, may have anxiolytic properties. The purpose of this study was to further investigate the anxiolytic properties of mecamylamine in rats as measured by the Elevated Plus Maze and the Social Interaction models of anxiety and to determine if manipulation of the testing environment (either brightly lit or dimly lit conditions) influenced the results. Results indicated that mecamylamine had significant anxiolytic effects in both the Elevated Plus Maze and Social Interaction Tests and that these effects were dependent on dose administered and the level of anxiety produced under different testing conditions.