Synergistic Myelin Regenerative, Immunomodulatory and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Vanillin and Adipose Derived Stem Cells in Cuprizone Animal Model of Multiple Sclerosis Publisher

Summary: Can vanillin and stem cells repair myelin? In a mouse model, combined treatment improved myelin markers and motor function; human effects remain unknown. #MultipleSclerosis #Regeneration

Gazmeh S ; Mardani M ; Ghasemi N
Source: Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences Published:2026

Abstract

Objective(s): Vanillin as a potential therapeutic agent along with transplantation of neurotrophic factors secreting cells, is considered a promising treatment for neurological disorders. In this study, the effects of vanillin in combination with human adipose derived stem cells transplantation were evaluated on oligodendrocyte differentiation, re-myelination, and motor function improvement. Materials and Methods: Female C57BL/6 mice were fed cuprizone (400 mg/kg/day) for 5 weeks to induce MS. Demyelinated mice were divided into MS, MS/vanillin, MS/stem cells, and MS/ vanillin/stem cells groups. Additionally, sixteen mice were divided into control and sham groups for comparison. Motor function was assessed using the hanging wire test. Finally, serum levels of inflammatory (IL-2, IFN-γ) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10, TGF-β) factors, along with IgG, were measured by ELISA. The mean percentage of Olig2 and MOG-positive cells we determined using the immunohistochemical technique, and Luxal Fast Blue staining was performed to assess myelin density of corpus callosum. Results: The results revealed that the mean percentage of Olig2, Mog positive cells, the serum level of the IL-10 and TGF-β, myelin density, and behavior test score were significantly higher in treated groups specially in MS/vanillin/stem cells group (P≤0.01), also, the serum levels of the inflammatory factors and IgG were significantly higher in the MS group compare to treated groups (P≤0.01). Conclusion: Administration of vanillin with stem cell transplantation could be a suitable approach to accelerate the process of myelin repair in the nervous tissue. © 2026. This work is openly licensed via CC BY 4.0. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.