LAUSR

ABSTRACT Cell transplantation based therapy is a promising strategy for treating intractable epilepsies. Inhibition of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) or substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) is a powerful experimental approach for remote control of different partial seizure types, when targeting the seizure focus is not amenable. Here, we tested the hypothesis that grafting of embryonic/fetal neural precursor cells (NPCs) from various species (rat, human, pig) into STN or SNr of adult rats induces anticonvulsant effects. To rationally refine this approach, we included NPCs derived from the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) and ventral mesencephalon (VM), both of which are able to develop a GABAergic phenotype. All VM‐ and MGE‐derived cells showed intense migration behavior after grafting into adult rats, developed characteristics of inhibitory interneurons, and survived at least up to 4months after transplantation. By using the intravenous pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) seizure threshold test in adult rats, transient anticonvulsant effects were observed after bilateral grafting of NPCs derived from human and porcine VM into STN, but not after SNr injection (site‐specificity). In contrast, MGE‐derived NPCs did not cause anticonvulsant effects after grafting into STN or SNr (cell‐specificity). Neither induction of status epilepticus by lithium‐pilocarpine to induce neuronal damage prior to the PTZ test nor pretreatment of MGE cells with retinoic acid and potassium chloride to increase differentiation into GABAergic neurons could enhance anticonvulsant effectiveness of MGE cells. This is the first proof‐of‐principle study showing anticonvulsant effects by bilateral xenotransplantation of NPCs into the STN. Our study highlights the value of VM‐derived NPCs for interneuron‐based cell grafting targeting the STN. HIGHLIGHTSNeural precursor cells grafted into subthalamic nucleus cause anticonvulsant effects.Porcine and human ventral mesencephalon‐derived cell grafts act anticonvulsant.Medial ganglionic eminence‐derived cell grafts failed to act anticonvulsant.Neural precursor cells showed intense migration after grafting.Targeting the subthalamic nucleus is more effective than targeting the substantia nigra.