Human Umbilical Cord Blood Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorate Autism-Like Behaviors in a Valproic Acid-Induced Mouse Model via the IGF-1/Akt Signaling Pathway - PubMed
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- #Mesenchymal Stem Cells
- #IGF-1/Akt Pathway
- #Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) improve autism-like behaviors in a valproic acid-induced mouse model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- The therapeutic effects occur without notable adverse effects, as shown by safety assessments including growth monitoring and organ histology.
- Mechanistically, hUC-MSCs promote neuronal dendritic development and restore phosphorylation levels in the IGF-1/Akt signaling pathway.
- Treatment upregulates synaptic plasticity genes (GAP-43, SYP) and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, while suppressing proapoptotic genes (Bax, Caspase-3) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β).
- Findings suggest hUC-MSCs exert neuroprotective effects via IGF-1/Akt modulation, offering a potential stem cell-based therapy for ASD.