Neural Stem Cell Therapy Successful in Treating Spinal Cord Injury in Mice

Neural Stem Cell Therapy Successful in Treating Spinal Cord Injury in Mice

The University of California, Irvine issued a press release on September 19 stating that researchers have successfully regenerated spinal cord tissue in mice by using human neural stem cells.

In the study, researchers injected fetal human neural stem cells into mice who had limited mobility from spinal cord injury induced by researchers. A control group received human fibroblast cells, which are unable to differentiate into nervous system cells. The mice which received the stem cells improved in their walking ability and in their coordination. When the stem cells were killed sixteen weeks later, the mice no longer had the improvements in walking.

The transplanted cells were not “coaxed” into becoming particular kinds of cells prior to transplantation, which was a major difference from other studies. After transplantation, the cells differentiated into oligodendrocyte cells, which restored myelin (biological nerve insulation) around the damaged nerve cells. Others cells differentiated into new neurons that formed synaptic connections.

In an AP wire service story reprinted in the San Francisco Chronicle, it was also reported that the mice had been bred to avoid immune system rejection of human cells, and there are significant problems in suppressing a human’s immune system response. It is also unclear how soon after injury such treatment could begin.

The study was performed at the Reeve-Irvine Center, which was established to study spinal trauma and diseases impairing neurological function. StemCells Inc. of Palo Alto, California, provided the fetal-derived stem cells. MSN Money reported that the company's shares rose almost 20% in response to the study announcement.

The original press release can be found at UC-Irvine. The story has been picked up by numerous media sources. The study results appear online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition. A PDF version of the article can be found at http://www.pnas.org/cgi/reprint/0507063102v1.