Therapeutic Potential of Niche-Speciﬁc Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Spinal Cord Injury Repair

Cells, 2021 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10040901 · Published: April 14, 2021

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine

Simple Explanation

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are being explored as a treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI) due to their easy accessibility, immunosuppressive properties and variety of tissue sources. MSCs from different tissues may have different biological properties, as their stemness, plasticity and adaptability are controlled by their tissue niche. Identifying the right type of MSC from a specific niche is important for effective SCI repair, especially since manufacturing a clinical grade MSC product depends on how easily cells can be made using appropriate materials.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Review

Key Findings

1
BM-MSCs are the most clinically applied MSCs for SCI treatment, with 20 registered trials.
2
AD-MSCs are easily accessible and can be used without expansion if enough lipoaspirate is harvested.
3
OM-MSCs constitutively express nestin, are widely distributed in the olfactory mucosa and promote CNS myelination, making them a novel candidate for SCI repair.

Research Summary

This review discusses the potential and limitations of various MSC types documented in SCI clinical trials, emphasizing the importance of niche-specific MSCs for transplant-mediated repair. An ideal MSC candidate should modulate inflammation, promote myelination, possess neurogenic properties, and reside in a niche unaffected by the injury itself, while also being easily harvested and expanded. BM-, AD-, and UC-derived MSCs have all reached clinical trial for SCI treatment, while purified OM-MSCs have yet to be tested; Nestin expression on MSCs correlates with enhanced CXCL12 expression, which promotes myelination.

Practical Implications

Niche-Targeted MSC Isolation

A targeted approach to isolate niche-specific MSCs may lead to better therapeutic outcomes for SCI.

GMP-Compliant Manufacturing

Developing GMP-compliant procedures for MSC isolation and expansion is crucial for clinical translation.

Personalized MSC Selection

Selecting MSCs based on individual patient characteristics and injury profiles may improve treatment efficacy.

Study Limitations

1
Variability in MSC properties based on tissue source and donor characteristics
2
Difficulty in isolating and expanding certain MSC types to clinically relevant numbers
3
Lack of standardized protocols for MSC isolation, culture, and transplantation

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