Human primed endothelial colony forming cells exert neuroprotective effects in the growth restricted newborn piglet

The fetal brain is particularly vulnerable to the detrimental effects of fetal growth restriction (FGR) with subsequent abnormal neurodevelopment being common. There are no current treatments to protect the FGR newborn from lifelong neurological disorders. This study examines whether pure fetal mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial colony forming cells (ECFC) from the human term placenta are neuroprotective through modulating neuroinflammation and supporting the brain vasculature. We determined that one dose of these primed ECFCs (pECFC) on the first day of life to the newborn FGR piglet improved damaged vasculature, restored the neurovascular unit, reduced brain inflammation and improved adverse neuronal and white matter changes present in the FGR newborn piglet brain. These findings could not be reproduced using mesenchymal stromal cells alone. These results demonstrate pECFC treatment exerts beneficial effects on multiple cellular components in the FGR brain and act as a neuroprotectant.One Sentence SummaryStem cell treatment improves brain outcomes in the growth restricted newborn

Intravenous Edaravone plus Therapeutic Hypothermia Offers Limited Neuroprotection in the Hypoxic-Ischaemic Newborn Piglet

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is a standard therapy for neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. One potential additional therapy is the free radical scavenger edaravone (EV; 3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one). <b><i>Objectives and Methods:</i></b> This study aimed to compare the neuroprotective effects of edaravone plus therapeutic hypothermia (TH + EV) with those of TH alone after a hypoxic-ischaemic insult in the newborn piglet. Anaesthetized piglets were subjected to 40 min of hypoxia (3–5% inspired oxygen), and cerebral ischaemia was assessed using cerebral blood volume. Body temperature was maintained at 39.0 ± 0.5°C in the normothermia group (NT, <i>n</i> = 8) and at 33.5 ± 0.5°C (24 h after the insult) in the TH (<i>n</i> = 7) and TH + EV (3 mg/kg intravenous every 12 h for 3 days after the insult; <i>n</i> = 6) groups under mechanical ventilation. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Five days after the insult, the mean (standard deviation) neurological scores were 10.9 (5.7) in the NT group, 17.0 (0.4) in the TH group (<i>p</i> = 0.025 vs. NT), and 15.0 (3.9) in the TH + EV group. The histopathological score of the TH + EV group showed no significant improvement compared with that of the other groups. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> TH + EV had no additive neuroprotective effects after hypoxia-ischaemia in neurological and histopathological assessments.

Near-Complete Genome Sequence of a Newly Emerging Subgenotype of Atypical Porcine Pestivirus

This study reports the near-complete genome sequence of GD-CT4, a strain of a newly emerging subgenotype of atypical porcine pestivirus detected in a newborn piglet with congenital tremors in Guangdong Province, China. This sequence will improve the understanding of the epidemiology and genetic characteristics of atypical porcine pestivirus.

Intravenous edaravone plus therapeutic hypothermia offers limited neuroprotection in the hypoxic-ischaemic newborn piglet

Therapeutic hypothermia is a standard therapy for neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. One potential additional therapy is the free radical scavenger edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one). To compare the neuroprotective effects of edaravone plus therapeutic hypothermia with those of therapeutic hypothermia alone after a hypoxic-ischaemic insult in the newborn piglet, anaesthetized piglets were subjected to 40 min of hypoxia (3–5% inspired oxygen) and cerebral ischaemia was assessed by cerebral blood volume. Body temperature was maintained at 38.5 °C in the normothermia group (NT, n = 8) and at 34 °C (24 h after the insult) in the therapeutic hypothermia (TH, n = 7) and therapeutic hypothermia plus edaravone (3 mg intravenous every 12 h for 3 days after the insult; TH+EV, n = 6) groups under mechanical ventilation. Five days after the insult, the mean (standard deviation) neurological scores were 10.9 (5.7) in the NT group, 17.0 (0.4) in the TH group (p = 0.025 vs. NT) and 15.0 (3.9) in the TH+EV group. The histopathological score of the TH+EV group showed no significant improvement compared with that of the other groups. In conclusion, edaravone plus therapeutic hypothermia had no additive neuroprotective effects after hypoxia-ischaemia in neurological and histopathological assessments.