Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Front. Cell Dev. Biol., 2021 · DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.695900 · Published: July 6, 2021

Simple Explanation

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising for treating neurodegenerative diseases like spinal cord injury (SCI) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These cells can be sourced from the patient (autologous) or a donor (allogeneic). MSCs have the ability to differentiate into multiple cell types and can be easily grown in the lab. They release substances that modulate the immune system, promote regeneration, and stimulate neural plasticity. MSCs can be delivered systemically or seeded onto scaffolds to help bridge tissue defects. Clinical studies have shown promising effects of MSCs in treating SCI and ALS.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Preclinical animal models and human clinical studies

Evidence Level

Review

Key Findings

1
MSCs possess immunomodulatory and paracrine potential, releasing cytokines and factors that inhibit T cells, B cells, and natural killer cells.
2
MSCs migrate toward lesion sites, induce better regeneration, preserve perineuronal nets, and stimulate neural plasticity.
3
Promising effects of autologous and allogenic MSCs for the treatment of SCI and ALS were demonstrated in recent clinical studies.

Research Summary

Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that stem cells, their secretomes, and extracellular vesicles (EVs) are promising for treating neurodegenerative diseases, including spinal cord injury (SCI) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered the best candidates for regenerative medicine due to their multilineage differentiation potential, ease of expansion in vitro, and immunomodulatory and paracrine potential. MSC implantation has shown positive effects in animal models of SCI and ALS, and recent clinical studies have demonstrated promising effects of autologous and allogenic MSCs for treating these conditions.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Potential

MSCs offer a potential therapeutic avenue for treating SCI and ALS by promoting regeneration, modulating the immune system, and stimulating neural plasticity.

Scaffold Development

The review highlights the importance of scaffold development in conjunction with cell therapies to bridge tissue defects and enhance the effects of MSCs.

Delivery Methods

Different methods of MSC delivery, such as systemic application and seeding onto scaffolds, can be used to maximize the therapeutic benefits.

Study Limitations

1
The main shortcomings of MSC therapies lie in their unsatisfactory translation from small animal experimental models (mice and rats) into human clinical practice.
2
Variability in experimental models of SCI and limited eﬃcacy of adult stem cells may contribute to the ﬁnal failure in clinical practice.
3
Signiﬁcant obstacles remain before these ﬁndings can be translated into novel therapies; we need to better understand the mechanisms of MSC action and the behavior of the transplanted stem cells in the pathological environment of CNS.

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