Cell Transplantation for Spinal Cord Injury: Tumorigenicity of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells

Spinal cord injury (SCI) presents a significant medical challenge with limited treatment options. While neural stem/progenitor cell (NS/PC) transplantation has shown promise, concerns about ethical issues and immune rejection exist. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer a potential solution, but concerns about tumorigenicity are emerging. This review focuses on the tumorigenicity of iPSC-derived NS/PCs, discussing teratoma and true tumor formation. The review also explores the underlying mechanisms behind tumorigenicity and possible solutions to mitigate these risks, aiming to improve the safety of iPSC-based therapies for SCI.

• 1
  Tumorigenicity of iPSCs can be classified into two types: teratomas, which arise from undifferentiated cells, and true tumors, which are often malignant and can metastasize.
• 2
  Teratoma formation is largely attributed to the presence of residual undifferentiated iPSCs in the graft, while true tumors are associated with genomic and epigenomic instability.
• 3
  Strategies to prevent teratoma formation include increasing the number of passages to weaken epigenetic memory, improving purification methods, and transplanting more mature cells.