The use of hemopoietic stem cells derived from human umbilical cord blood to promote restoration of spinal cord tissue and recovery of hindlimb function in adult rats.
OBJECTIVE
The use of human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) cells has been reported to improve functional recovery in cases of central nervous system injuries such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury (SCI). The authors investigated the effects of hemopoietic stem cells that were derived from HUCB and transplanted into the injured spinal cords of rats.


METHODS
One week after injury, an HUCB fraction enriched in CD34-positive cells was transplanted into the experimental group. In control animals, vehicle (Matrigel) was transplanted. Recovery of motor functions was assessed using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan Locomotor Scale, and immunohistochemical examinations were performed. Cells from HUCB that were CD34 positive improved functional recovery, reduced the area of the cystic cavity at the site of injury, increased the volume of residual white matter, and promoted the regeneration or sparing of axons in the injured spinal cord. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that transplanted CD34-positive cells survived in the host spinal cord for at least 3 weeks after transplantation but had disappeared by 5 weeks. The transplanted cells were not positive for neural markers, but they were positive for hemopoietic markers. There was no evidence of an immune reaction at the site of injury in either group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that transplantation of a CD34-positive fraction from HUCB may have therapeutic effects for SCI. The results of this study provide important preclinical data regarding HUCB stem cell-based therapy for SCI.
Nishio
Yutaka
Y
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chiba University Graduate School of dicine, Tougane Chiba Prefecture Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
Koda
Masao
M
Kamada
Takahito
T
Someya
Yukio
Y
Yoshinaga
Katsunori
K
Okada
Seiji
S
Harada
Hideki
H
Okawa
Akihiko
A
Moriya
Hideshige
H
Yamazaki
Masashi
M
D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000502:physiology; D036101:Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D018952:Antigens, CD34