Progranulin enhances the engraftment of transplanted human iPS cell-derived cerebral neurons

Cerebral organoids (COs) in cell replacement therapy offer a viable approach to reconstructing neural circuits for individuals suffering from stroke or traumatic brain injuries. Successful transplantation relies on effective engraftment and neurite extension from the grafts. Earlier research has validated the effectiveness of delaying the transplantation procedure by one week. Here, we hypothesized that brain tissues one week following a traumatic brain injury possess a more favorable environment for cell transplantation when compared to immediately after injury. We performed a transcriptomic comparison to differentiate gene expression between these two temporal states. In controlled in vitro conditions, recombinant human progranulin (rhPGRN) bolstered the survival rate of dissociated neurons sourced from human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cerebral organoids (hiPSC-COs) under conditions of enhanced oxidative stress. This increase in viability was attributable to a reduction in apoptosis via Akt phosphorylation. In addition, rhPGRN pretreatment before in vivo transplantation experiments augmented the engraftment efficiency of hiPSC-COs considerably and facilitated neurite elongation along the host brain’s corticospinal tracts. Subsequent histological assessments at three months post-transplantation revealed an elevated presence of graft-derived subcerebral projection neurons—crucial elements for reconstituting neural circuits—in the rhPGRN-treated group. These outcomes highlight the potential of PGRN as a neurotrophic factor suitable for incorporation into hiPSC-CO-based cell therapies.