Chinese scientists found a way to turn stem cells into dopamine-producing cells to alleviate depression - Media

Chinese scientists have found a way to turn human stem cells into dopamine-producing brain cells. Transplanting them into mice helped reduce depressive behavior and enhance feelings of pleasure, according to The South China Morning Post, writes UNN.

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Transplanting modified neuron-like cells into mice with a depression model helped reduce symptoms such as anxiety and feelings of alienation, while enhancing feelings of pleasure, the publication writes.

The development could potentially be used as a therapy for treating neuropsychiatric disorders by directly affecting and restoring brain areas involved in mood regulation.

"This study provides proof-of-concept evidence supporting the use of cell therapy to treat mental disorders by targeted reconstruction of dysfunctional neural circuits," the researchers stated in an article published in the peer-reviewed journal Cell Stem Cell on August 11.

Major depressive disorder is among the leading causes of global morbidity, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Some people suffer from therapy-resistant depression, accompanied by symptoms such as anhedonia, or the inability to experience pleasure from previously enjoyable activities. Anhedonia can persist even after mood disorder symptoms alleviate.

Human pluripotent stem cells, capable of differentiating into all cell types, were used to produce dopaminergic neurons, including the A9 subtype of dopaminergic neurons, although, according to the researchers, effective production of A10 neurons was previously "elusive," the publication writes.

A group of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences at Fudan University and UniXell Biotechnology, a cell therapy company, developed a method to produce A10-like cells by introducing a special mixture of chemicals into human stem cells at a specific stage of differentiation.

The resulting genetically engineered neurons had the same molecular and electrical properties as A10 neurons.

When the artificially created neurons were transplanted into mice with a depression model caused by chronic stress exposure, exhibiting symptoms such as helplessness and loss of pleasure, it led to "significant antidepressant-like behavior."

This included relief from anhedonia and behavioral despair — a state in which animals stop trying to escape stressful situations, such as the threat of drowning, and become immobile.

The researchers found that the transplanted neurons were able to effectively integrate into neural circuits, including receiving signals from surrounding neurons, demonstrating their potential for restoring dopamine pathways.

According to the researchers, the specificity of neuronal cell therapy can provide a "significant advantage" compared to other pharmaceutical drugs, as it causes fewer side effects.

"This study strongly supports the concept of A10 neuron-based therapy in the clinical treatment of major depression and expands the possibilities for cell therapy in mental disorders," they stated.

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