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X-ray phase contrast micro-tomography (μPCI-CT) is a high resolution technique that can be used to investigate vascular and neurodegenerative disorders overcoming the limitations of the conventional imaging modalities. In fact, currently available neuroimaging techniques are based on sample-invasive imaging protocols involving dissections, staining or labeling of nervous system structures. On the other hand, μPCI-CT permits to visualize the spinal cord micro-vasculature, to detect single neuronal cells in the vertebral column and even cells infiltrating the nervous system in pathological conditions. These properties make μPCI-CT a potential powerful instrument in the study of vascular and neurodegenerative disorders as well as in the patient evaluation during medical treatment. Moreover, it would be a powerful instrument to localize in preclinical model of immune mediated diseases ectopic cells infiltrating the nervous system in a multifocal and unpredictable way. To optimize tissue fixation protocols for μPCI-CT analysis, several attempts were performed combining different protein and lipid fixation procedures and time points. The high-resolution synchrotron μPCI-CT setup allowed recognition of full-organ spinal cord anatomy of healthy rats, including anterior/posterior gray horns, the dorsal/ventral roots and ganglions, the central canal and the meninges, was clearly depicted. Superficial and deep vessels were visualized without need of any contrast-agent. At the highest resolution used, single neuronal cells perfused by surrounding vasculature were recognized allowing the detection of specific structure such as bundles of nerve fibers, single motor neurons and neuro-glial cells, cell bodies and axons as well as intra-cellular structure (i.e. cell nuclei and nucleoli). Moreover, in preclinical studies, the optimization of protocol for μPCI-CT allowed to localize ectopic infiltrating cells in nervous system organs in both mouse and rat models of Krabbe disease and Multiple Sclerosis which would allow a further accurate analysis of the areas and cell-parenchima fine interaction., Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, Vol. 122, No. 1 (Supplement) 2017

Oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) due to ischemic events or trauma in the brain result in neuronal loss. The therapeutic approaches available inadequate and often the outcome is unfavorable for the patient or at least unpredictable. Stem cells could be useful for the treatment of OGD injured-neurons. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), isolated from bone marrow as well as from various tissues, have poor immunogenicity and neuroprotective properties being able to alleviate ischemic brain injuries in animal models. The Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPCs) are present at low frequencies both in the bone marrow and in the peripheral blood. They are thought to play a role in the recovery of cerebrovasculature integrity after stroke. In the present study we evaluated the potential neuroprotective effect of human MSCs and human EPCs on rat embryonic cortical neurons injured by OGD. OGD was induced by incubating the cortical neurons in a hypoxia chamber in a 95% N2 + 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37°C without glucose. To set up the experimental protocol, OGD was maintained for 1, 2 and 3 hours. The neurons were returned in normoxic atmosphere and after 2 and 5 days neuronal survival was evaluated by MTT assay, LDH assay and viable cellular counting. The 2 hours OGD was able to reduce neuronal viability by 50% and was chosen for the subsequent experiments. To assess MSCs and EPCs neuroprotective action, after 2 hours-long OGD the neurons were 1) co-cultured with either MSCs or EPCs seeded on a cell culture insert avoiding direct contact while sharing the same medium, or 2) cultured in a medium previously conditioned by either MSCs or EPCs. Neuronal survival was evaluated by MTT assay after 2 and 5 days. Both MSCs and EPCs increased neuronal survival after ODG. The effect was observed in absence of a direct contact between MSCs or EPCs and the injured neurons, suggesting that the release of soluble factors may be involved in their neuroprotective action. In conclusion both MSCs and EPCs could represent a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of brain ischemic injury. Further studies are needed to identify the specific molecules and pathways that play a role in the neuroprotective effect of MSCs and EPCs., Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, Vol. 120, No. 1 (Supplement) 2015

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease affecting the CNS and characterized by neuroinflammation. Clinical observations revealed different incidence between males and females, suggesting a possible influence of sex steroids. These molecules, produced by peripheral steroidogenic glands, can exert their actions into the CNS, directly, or after metabolic conversion, and, for this reason, they are also called neuroactive steroids. Observations on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) rodents, the most used animal model for MS, also suggest an involvement for neuroactive steroids in the pathology. In particular, castration worsen, while testosterone or its metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT) improve the pathological course of the disease. Based on these evidences, male Dark Agouti rats were induced with EAE in order to develop a relapsing-remitting pathology, similar to the most common human form of MS. EAE animals were treated with DHT or vehicle (sesame oil) and monitored through the experiment. After 45 days post induction, we evaluated inflammatory parameters in spinal cord tissues. The pathological course was improved in EAE rats treated with DHT compared to vehicle. Moreover, neuroinflammatory parameters such as microglial and astrocytes markers as well as cytokine expression and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, that were increased in the EAE-vehicle group, are significantly reduced after treatment with DHT. In conclusion, DHT treatment ameliorates not only the pathological course of the disease but also neuroinflammatory parameters in spinal cord tissues. These observations may suggest DHT as potential therapeutic option for male MS patients.

Neurodegenerative diseases are different and many-sided disorders affecting both the Central and the Peripheral Nervous System. Despite the very different peculiar features, all the neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the neuronal degeneration, which may be the consequence of different processes, such as an altered protein accumulation, an axonal damage, or the exposure to toxic agents. The progressive neuronal death leads to disease progression, which is not effectively counteracted by the current symptomatic therapies. Among the newly proposed therapeutic approaches, encouraging results have been obtained with Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs), adult stem cells initially proposed for their differentiation potential and for their immune-modulatory abilities. Here we first verified in vivo the protective potential of MSCs into an in vivo model of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), represented by Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), demonstrating that intravenous administration of MSCs are able to ameliorate the clinical score and the functional skills, and to reduce demyelinated lesions. We then investigated in vitro the possible molecular mechanisms of MSC protective action, thus demonstrating that, besides immunomodulation, MSCs are able to support neuronal survival after toxic stimuli exposure by reducing the apoptosis and by inhibiting the Metalloprotease pathway, which is supposed to be involved in neurodegenerative disease progression. Moreover, MSCs are able to promote the axonal myelination through the modulation of p75 receptor. For all these abilities, MSCs can represent a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune pathology characterized by inflammatory and demyelinating phases. Clinical observations indicate an involvement for sex hormones in thepathology, so that, recently, a therapy for MS based on hormones has been proposed. A clinicaltrial, involving male MS patients, revealed improvement in cognitive performances after one yeartreatment with testosterone (Sicotte et al., 2007). In the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice, a MS animal model, neuroprotective effects of testosterone, and of its metabolite dihydrotestosterone (DHT), were observed (Dalal et al., 1997; Palaszynski et al.,2004). In the same model, castration has deleterious effects on clinical course, suggesting a protective role for androgens (Bebo et al., 1998). Moreover, in vitro evidences showed that testosterone is able to reduce inflammatory cytokines produced by human macrophages (D’Agostino et al., 1999) and monocytes (Li et al., 1993; Liva and Voskuhl, 2001). These antiinflammatory properties may be mediated by the conversion of testosterone into estradiol, or, alternatively, by some direct effects on androgen receptor (AR), mediated by DHT. This steroid can be subsequently converted into 3 alpha-diol, a GABAA receptor agonist, acting as antiinflammatory agent. Based on these evidences, we were interested in explore the protective effects of androgens treatment in a rat EAE model characterized by acute inflammatory events. We induced male Lewis rats with myelin basic protein in order to develop EAE; animals were treated with 3 alpha-diol or vehicle (sesame oil) every other day for two weeks, whereas control rats (i.e., rats not induced with EAE) received in same days only vehicle. Neurological deficits were assessed throughout the experiment (i.e., until 15 days post induction; dpi), and, at 15dpi, spinal cords were dissected. The clinical course and the weight loss of EAE rats treated with 3 alpha-diol were not different when compared to vehicle treated animals. Significant differences between these two groups were instead observed in the spinal cord after immunostaining analysis for the glial fibrillary acidic protein and the major histocompatibility complex class II, where 3 alpha-diol treatment was able to reduce the inflammatory parameters. In agreement with this observation, gene expression for tumor necrosis factor alpha, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, was decreased after 3 alpha-diol administration compared to oil-treated EAE animals. This effect seems specific for proinflammatory cytokine, because the expression of transforming growth factor beta 1, an antiinflammatory cytokine, was not different between vehicle and 3 alpha-diol treated EAE rats. To asses the metabolic fate of the injected 3 alpha-diol, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis were performed in spinal cord from all groups. 3 alpha-diol levels were significantly increased in steroid treated animals; moreover, a significant raise in DHT levels was observed in the same animals, indicating a retroconversion of 3 alpha-diol into DHT. The data we obtained may suggest that the reduction of inflammatory parameters could be due by both the action of DHT on AR and/or of 3 alpha-diol on GABAA receptor. These observations pointed out, for the first time, the effects of 3 alpha-diol on inflammatory parameters in EAE Lewis rats. Future studies will be aimed to elucidate the involvement of androgen and/or GABAA receptors on the observed effects.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is the second most frequent primary liver neoplasia. It mainly arises from the malignant transformation of biliary epithelial cells, although it might originate from either hepatic progenitor cells at the Hering canals or transformed hepatocytes. CCA is a highly aggressive tumor with extremely poor prognosis and limited therapeutic approaches. Baicalin (BA) is one of the main bioactive flavonoids identified in the Scutellaria Baicalensis Georgi root dried extract which is extensively used in the Chinese traditional medicine. Together with the anti-inflammatory effect, the anti-neoplastic action is the most relevant BA property demonstrated on cancer cells of different origin. Being aware of the need of new therapeutic weapons for CCA treatment, we investigated whether Baicalin could exert anti-proliferative and anti-migratory effect on EGI-1 cells, a highly metastatic CCA cell line derived from bile duct carcinoma. We first tested different BA concentrations (from 5 to 200μM) in limiting EGI-1 viability using MTT assay. After 24h and 48h treatment, 5 and 10μM BA had no effect while rising from 25μM to 200μM (i.e. 25, 50, 100 and 200μM) BA exerted a significant cell viability reduction already at 24h and increased after 48h BA exposure. This reduction well correlated with the adherent absolute cell number decrease and it cannot be due to BA induced cell cycle impairment after neither 24 nor 48h treatment. We also evaluated the anti-migratory BA potential by a wound healing assay adding different BA concentrations (5, 25, 50,100 and 200μM) to the culture medium immediately after performing a wound on confluent cell cultures. All BA concentrations but 5μM induced a significant reduction in the EGI-1 migration rate after 24h treatment. Moreover 25, 50 and 10μM BA showed similar migration inhibition extent at 24 and 48h whilst 200μM BA exerted a stronger inhibitory effect already after 24h exposure which increased with time in a significant way. Taken together our preliminary results demonstrate that BA impairs CCA cell viability and migration suggesting a promising adjuvant therapeutic use for BA as antitumoral agent., Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, Vol 119, No 1 (Supplement) 2014

Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a good model of Multiple Sclerosis in rodents. We have applied fMRI to invesigate the alteration in functional response in rats induced with EAE. Cortical activation is altered in EAE rat brain, compared to controls. fMRI showed an increase in the activated volume involving also the cortex ipsilateral and some extra-cortical areas at the observed time points. These results demonstrate brain cortex remodeling in EAE, a remakable feature of MS. The present model seems to be a relevant tool in preclinical MS studies.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), showing the extent of the involvement of CNS, plays a major role in the assessment of patients with MS. Further information can be obtained with functional MRI (fMRI) which may be used in MS patients to investigate the functional reorganization of cortical areas. fMRI observations in MS are already available in humans, but deeper knowledge on its usefulness might be gained using reliable animal models. We investigated by means of fMRI the brain plasticity in a chronic model of MS, i.e. Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the Dark Agouti (DA) rat strain. Serial fMRI acquisitions were performed before, 30 and 60 days after EAE induction. fMRI with somatosensory stimulation was performed according to ref [1]. Briefly electrical stimulation (a train of squared pulses with frequency=3Hz, current=2mA, duration=0.5ms) was delivered to the left forepaw during acquisition of MR images sensitive to Blood-Volume. A single stimulation protocol was composed of 30 images under rest condition and 10 images acquired during stimulation. After appropriate image analysis, performed using the FSL software package [2], the brain region activated by the applied stimulus was determined. Prior to EAE induction, electrical stimulation resulted in a localized response in the contralateral sensory motor cortex according to previously reported results [1]. Thirty and 60 days after EAE Induction, the activated area was greatly increased covering large regions of both contra and ipsilateral somatosensory cortex and extending also to extra-cortical regions. Our results show that the experimental model of EAE in DA rats reproduces a remarkable findings observed in MS patients, i.e. the functional reorganization of motor cortex. It remains to be investigated whether this effect could represent an innovative platform for testing new therapeutic approaches for MS., Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, Vol 117, No 2 (Supplement) 2012

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a severe chronic disease characterized by the presence of immuno-mediated demyelinating lesions and impairment of axonal transmission, which cause the reduction of nerve conduction velocity and lead to the development of neurological symptoms. Current therapy for MS is based on immunosuppressant agents, but recently Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have been proposed as therapeutic treatment for MS, demonstrating a positive effect when administered before disease onset, mainly due to their immunomodulatory properties. Here, we investigate the therapeutic potential of MSCs into an animal model of multiple sclerosis, represented by Dark Agouti rats affected by chronic Relapsing-Remitting experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). In order to assess their putative effectiveness, 106 MSC were intravenously injected in EAE rats before disease onset (7 days after disease induction), to test the “preventive” schedule, or after disease onset (14 days after MSC induction), to test the “therapeutic” schedule with MSCs. Clinical score was assessed daily, and after 45 days rats were sacrificed and histological analysis of spinal cords were performed to evaluate the demyelinating lesions. Clinical score analysis demonstrated that the “preventive” schedule of treatment had no effect on EAE clinical course, while the therapeutic schedule was able to hamper relapsing phase from day 19 and till the end of the experiment (day 45) with respect to EAE group. At day 45, histological analysis performed on spinal cords of EAE rats demonstrated the presence of demyelinated plaques, assessed by Luxol fast Blue staining and by immunohystochemistry for MBP. The same lesions were present in spinal cords of rats treated with the preventive MSC administration. On the contrary the therapeutic schedule with MSCs was able to significantly reduce the extension of demyelinated areas in the spinal cords, thus confirming clinical score evaluations. These results suggested that MSCs are able to ameliorate the clinical course of EAE animals and to hamper the disease relapsing by reducing the areas of demyelinated lesions. We are now evaluating the possible mechanism of MSCs action by investigating some putative myelinating properties of MSCs.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a crippling chronic disease of the Central Nervous System caused by the presence of self-antibodies which progressively damage axonal myelin sheath, leading to axonal transmission impairment and to the development of neurological symptoms. MS is characterized by a Relapsing-Remitting course, and current therapies rely only on the use of immunosuppressive drugs, which are however unable to reverse disease progression. Encouraging results have been obtained in preclinical studies with the administration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) before disease onset (Zappia et al., 2005). Here, we investigate the therapeutic potential of MSC administration after disease onset into an animal model of MS, represented by Dark Agouti rats affected by chronic Relapsing-Remitting Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) (Cavaletti et al., 2004). 106 MSC were intravenously injected in EAE rats after disease onset. Clinical score was assessed daily, and after 45 days rats were sacrificed and histological analysis of spinal cords performed to evaluate the demyelinating lesions. After the first peak of disease, no further relapses were observed in EAE rats treated with MSCs, differently from what observed in EAE group. Histological analysis demonstrated the presence of demyelinated plaques in spinal cords of EAE rats, (Luxol fast Blue staining and anti-MBP immunohystochemistry). On the contrary the therapeutic schedule with MSCs significantly reduces the number and the extension of demyelinated areas in the spinal cords, confirming clinical score evaluations. These results demonstrated that MSCs ameliorate the clinical course of EAE and hamper the disease relapsing by reducing the areas of demyelinated lesions. Granted by MIUR – FIRB Futuro in Ricerca 2008 Prot. N° RBFR08VSVI_001., Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, Vol 118, No 2 (Supplement) 2013

Besides the immunomodulatory action, Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are able to promote neuronal and glial survival both by releasing trophic factors and through cell to cell contact. For these features MSCs are a promising tool for the treatment of inflammatory and demyelinating diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Here we reported a pre-clinical study on Dark Agouti rats affected by a Relapsing-Remitting form of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (RR-EAE), one of the most suitable models for the study of RR-MS. In order to assess the possible preventive or therapeutic effect, 106 MSCs were injected i.v. (intra venous) at day 7 or at day 14 post EAE induction (p.i.) and clinical score was evaluated daily. The preventive schedule of treatment (day 7 p.i.) had no effect on EAE clinical course but the therapeutic one (day 14 p.i.) was able to hamper the relapsing phase from day 19 p.i. and till the end of the experiment (day 45 p.i.) with respect to EAE group. At day 45 p.i., histological analysis performed on spinal cord of EAE rats revealed a substantial absence of inflammatory infiltration and the presence of demyelinated plaques, assessed by Luxol fast Blue staining and by immunohistochemistry for MBP (Myelin Basic Protein). Moreover the analysis performed on serial paraffin sections revealed that the therapeutic schedule with MSCs was able to significantly reduce the extension of demyelinated areas in the spinal cord white matter with respect to EAE and EAE+MSCs day 7 p.i. groups, thus confirming clinical score evaluations. These results suggested that MSCs are able to ameliorate the clinical course of EAE animals by reducing the areas of demyelinated lesions. We are now evaluating the possible mechanism of MSCs action by investigating in vitro some putative myelinating and immunomodulating properties of MSCs. This study was granted by MIUR – FIRB Futuro in Ricerca 2008 RBFR08VSVI_001.

Objective: Neutrophils have been shown to own several immunoregulatory properties. Nevertheless few attention has been given to their contribution to both Multiple Sclerosis and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) etiopathogenesis and progression. We aim to investigate the potential role of neutrophils during EAE sensitization and chronic phase in Dark Agouti (DA) EAE. Methods: Chronic EAE was induced in DA rats by intrafootpad injection of syngenic spinal cord homogenate in incomplete Freund's adjuvant. Neutrophils were depleted by means of intraperitoneal injection of anti-rat neutrophil serum (aNEU) at different disease time course, i.e. either during the sensitization and the chronic phase of the disease. The animals were weighted weekly and aNEU effect was first evaluated on clinical score while deeper analysis were performed on blood formula, spleen morphology and spinal cord cytokine, chemokine and myelin basic protein expression. Results: aNEU had no effect on clinical score when neutrophil depletion was performed during the chronic phase, i.e. from 14 to 35 days post EAE induction (dpi). When aNEU was administered during the EAE sensitization phase up to 8dpi, no difference in mean clinical score could be revealed between EAE and aNEU-treated EAE rats up to the disease peak, i.e. 14 dpi. However a significant improvement in clinical condition could be reported soon after the disease peak so that a chronic course was transformed into an acute/ monophasic one. aNEU treatment induced a faster body weight gain while it did not affect blood formula changes related to EAE course. Moreover while aNEU treatment did not counteract EAE effects on both spleen microscopic morphological changes and Treg (FoxP3) content, it mainly affected the expression of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the three main spinal cord traits (cervical, thoracic, lumbar) while relative low effect was observed on both MCP-1 and myelin basic protein expression. Conclusions: Neutrophil depletion transformed a chronic EAE model into an acute/monophasic one and resulted in cytokine expression changes in spinal cord mainly referred to the cervical trait. Acknowledgment: This project was supported by FISM — Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla cod 2009/R/22. We wish to thank Mr. Oggioni for his support in animal management.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is used for MS first diagnosis and the evaluation of CNS damage extension during disease course while information about cortical area functional reorganization can be obtained by means of functional MRI (fMRI). The clinical patterns of disease evolution are highly variable and scarcely correlate with structural MRI-detected CNS damage. This phenomenon has been referred to as clinical/MRI paradox. Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the animal model for MS and can be induced in Dark Agouti (DA) rat reproducing the condition experienced by the most MS patients, i.e. the remitting-relapsing form. fMRI observations in MS are already available in humans, but deeper knowledge on its usefulness might be gained using reliable animal models. EAE was induced by syngenic spinal cord intrafootpad administration with clinical disease onset around 10 days post EAE induction (dpi) and the worst clinical condition reached on 14dpi without a complete symptom resolution in main animals up to 45dpi. The brain plasticity was investigated by means of serial fMRI acquisitions performed before, 30 and 60 days after EAE induction. A train of squared pulses electrical stimulation (frequency=3Hz, current=2mA, duration=0.5ms) was delivered to the left forepaw during acquisition of MRI sensitive to Blood-Volume. A single stimulation protocol was composed of 30 images under rest condition and 10 images acquired during stimulation. After appropriate image analysis, performed using the FSL software package, the brain region activated by the applied stimulus was determined. The week before EAE induction, electrical stimulation resulted in a localized response only in the contralateral sensory motor cortex according to previously reported results. Thirty and 60dpi, the activated area was greatly increased covering large regions of both contra and ipsilateral somatosensory cortex and extending also to extra-cortical regions. Our results show that the DA rat EAE model is a good model in reproducing the functional reorganization of cortex observed in MS patients. It remains to be investigated whether this effect could represent an innovative platform for testing new therapeutic approaches for MS. AKNOWLEDGMENTS: The present work was partially supported by Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (FISM) grant code 10/12/F14. We thank Dr Elisa Ballarini and Dr Virginia Rodriguez-Menendez for the image supply.