title: Therapeutic neovascularization using cord blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells for diabetic neuropathy.
abstract: Diabetic neuropathy is based on the impairment of nerve blood flow and the metabolic disorder. Although the vasodilating agents and anticoagulants improve nerve function and symptoms in diabetic neuropathy, more effective treatments are needed. Because endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been identified in adult human peripheral blood, many studies have shown that transplantation of EPCs improves circulation to ischemic tissues. In this study, we have demonstrated that therapeutic neovascularization using human umbilical cord blood-derived EPCs reversed diabetic neuropathy. EPCs were isolated and expanded on day 7 of culture from cord blood mononuclear cells. Unilateral intramuscular injection of EPCs into hindlimb skeletal muscles significantly ameliorated impaired sciatic motor nerve conduction velocity and sciatic nerve blood flow in the EPC-injected side of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nude rats compared with the saline-injected side of diabetic nude rats. Histological study revealed an increased number of microvessels in hindlimb skeletal muscles in the EPC-injected side of diabetic rats. These findings suggest that transplantation of EPCs from cord blood may be a useful treatment for diabetic neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Aichi-Gakuin University, School of Dentistry 2-11 Suemori-dori, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8651, Japan. narusek@dpc.aichi-gakuin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Naruse
authors.forename: Yoji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: Eitaro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mizubayashi
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamiya
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuzawa
authors.forename: Seiichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.forename: Toyoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murohara
authors.forename: Tatsuaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oiso
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D036101:Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000628:therapy*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology*; D006614:Hindlimb; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D011923:Rats, Nude; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology