Hepatocyte growth factor pretreatment boosts functional recovery after spinal cord injury through human iPSC‑derived neural stem/progenitor cell transplantation

This study explores a new approach to treat spinal cord injuries (SCI) by combining hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) with the transplantation of neural stem/progenitor cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-NS/PCs). The rationale is that HGF can improve the environment of the injured spinal cord, making it more receptive to the transplanted cells. The study found that HGF pretreatment led to vascularization, anti-inflammatory effects, and activation of endogenous neural stem cells in the injured area. This created a favorable environment for the transplanted NS/PCs, which survived well and contributed to remyelination and neuronal regeneration. The combined therapy resulted in substantial improvements in motor function compared to using either treatment alone, suggesting that HGF preconditioning enhances the effectiveness of hiPSC-NS/PC transplantation for SCI.

• 1
  HGF treatment after SCI promotes vascularization and suppresses inflammatory responses, creating a more favorable environment for cell transplantation.
• 2
  The combined therapy of HGF pretreatment and hiPSC-NS/PC transplantation enhances the survival and differentiation of transplanted cells, leading to improved spinal cord protection and myelination.
• 3
  Combined therapy promotes the regeneration of neuronal fibers and the regrowth of raphespinal serotonergic fibers, contributing to enhanced motor functional recovery after SCI.