Work

Proceedings of the 14 th International Newborn Brain Conference: Neuroprotection strategies in the neonate

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Human Breast milk is universally recognized as the best-adapted food for infants and toddlers.Although the chemical composition of breast milk has been extensively studied, recent evidence, describe the presence of a cellular subpopulation having stem cell properties.Neonatal cerebral lesions resulting from neonatal stroke, asphyxia and intracerebral hemorrhage in preterm infants are a major cause of disability in children worldwide.Because of the poor regenerative potential of brain tissue, few therapeutic options are currently available and stem cell therapy constitutes an avenue of hope for the future.However, such therapy is costly and requires sophisticated technology.Breast milk stem cells constitute an attractive, cost effective and universally available alternative.These cells would constitute ideal candidates for stem cell therapy in newborn but are still partly characterized.AIM: 1. Characterize breast milk cell populations at the single cell level, determine the heterogeneity of its population and assess the proportion of cells that display stem cell features.2. Assess through In vitro and In vivo assay the potential of breast milk derived stem cell in regenerative medicine after perinatal brain insult (perinatal stroke/ birth asphyxia/intracerebral bleeding) MATERIAL AND METHOD: -Collect 10 Samples of fresh breast milk samples day 10 post-partum, perform FACS staining for stem cell marker and proceed to 10x single cell sequencing for 10'000 cells/20'000 reads/cell.-Identify and characterization the different cellular subpopulations through bioinformatics analysis -Perform in vitro assay on breast milk derived stem cells as well as in vivo assay of breast milk intranasal in mice/ rat model of perinatal brain injury (See also Figure 1) RESULTS: About 0.5% to 2% of breast milk cells stain for mesenchymal stem cell markers, and represent putative stem cells, further characterization needed (See Figure 2) CONCLUSION AND IMPACT: If the presence of breast milk stem cells is confi rmed by single cell sequencing, these cells could represent a major breakthrough in neonatal and neuro-regenerative neurology as they would

Source: Journal of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

DOI: 10.3233/npm-239002