Clinical Trial of Human Fetal Brain-Derived Neural Stem/Progenitor Cell Transplantation in Patients with Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

This study evaluated the safety and potential benefits of transplanting human neural stem/progenitor cells (hNSPCs) into the injured spinal cords of patients with traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). The goal was to see if this could help improve neurological function. Nineteen patients with sensorimotor or motor complete cervical SCI received hNSPC transplants. A control group of fifteen patients received standard treatment without cell transplants. The researchers then monitored both groups for one year to observe any changes. The study found that transplanting hNSPCs into the injured cervical cord was safe and well-tolerated by patients and appeared to provide modest neurological benefits up to one year after transplantation. No serious side effects such as tumor formation or neurological deterioration were observed.

• 1
  hNSPC transplantation was safe and well-tolerated; no serious adverse events like tumor formation or neurological deterioration were observed.
• 2
  Five of nineteen transplanted patients showed improvement in the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade.
• 3
  Electrophysiological studies (SSEPs and MEPs) showed positive responses in some transplanted patients, suggesting potential repair of injured spinal tracts.