Transplantation of autologous bone marrowederived mononuclear cells into cerebrospinal ﬂuid in a canine model of spinal cord injury

Regenerative Therapy, 2023 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reth.2023.10.003 · Published: October 26, 2023

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine Veterinary Medicine

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause severe nervous system problems. This study explores using bone marrow cells to help repair the damage in dogs with SCI. The study used a dog model of SCI and transplanted bone marrow cells into the spinal fluid. They then used MRI and a marker called GAP-43 to see how well the treatment worked. The results showed that the dogs treated with bone marrow cells had better signs of nerve regeneration compared to the control group. This suggests that bone marrow cell therapy could be a promising treatment for SCI.

Study Duration

4 Weeks

Participants

Six adult female dogs

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
MRI revealed that the signal intensity reduced over time in both BM-MNCetreated and control groups.
2
The BM-MNCetreated group exhibited a signiﬁcantly faster reduction than the control group during the early stages of SCI induction
3
During the early stages of treatment, GAP-43 was signiﬁcantly expressed at the proximal end of the injured spinal cord in the BM-MSCetreated group, whereas it was scarcely expressed in the control group.

Research Summary

This study investigates the potential of autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) transplantation into cerebrospinal fluid for treating acute spinal cord injury (SCI) in a canine model. The study found that BM-MNC transplantation facilitated lesion repair and enhanced the expression of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), which is involved in axonal elongation, a key process in spinal cord regeneration. The authors conclude that cell therapy with BM-MNCs can provide favorable outcomes in terms of better regenerative capabilities compared with other therapies for SCI.

Practical Implications

Potential Therapeutic Strategy

BM-MNC transplantation could be a viable therapeutic strategy for spinal cord injury.

Axonal Regeneration

The increased expression of GAP-43 suggests a mechanism for promoting axonal regeneration following SCI.

Veterinary and Human Medicine

The findings have implications for both veterinary medicine and the development of effective treatment strategies for human SCI.

Study Limitations

1
The study used a small number of dogs, limiting the statistical power and generalizability of the findings.
2
Initial lesion parameters were not thoroughly investigated, potentially interfering with the outcomes.
3
No direct role of GAP-43 in regeneration via axonal elongation was established.

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