Regeneration of peripheral nerve after transplantation of CD133+ cells derived from human peripheral blood.
OBJECTIVE
Despite intensive efforts in the field of peripheral nerve injury and regeneration, it remains difficult to achieve full functional recovery in humans following extended peripheral nerve lesions. In this study, the authors examined the use of blood-derived CD133(+) cells in promoting the repair of peripheral nerve defects.


METHODS
The authors transplanted phosphate-buffered saline (control), mononuclear cells, or CD133(+) cells embedded in atelocollagen gel into a silicone tube that was used to bridge a 15-mm defect in the sciatic nerve of athymic rats (12 animals in each group). At 8 weeks postsurgery, molecular, histological, and functional evaluations were performed in regenerated tissues.


RESULTS
The authors found that sciatic nerves in which a defect had been made were structurally and functionally regenerated within 8 weeks after CD133(+) cell transplantation. From macroscopic evaluation, massive nervelike tissues were confirmed only in rats with CD133(+) cell transplantation compared with the other groups. Morphological regeneration in the samples after CD133(+) cell transplantation, as assessed using toluidine blue staining, was enhanced significantly in terms of the number of myelinated fibers, axon diameter, myelin thickness, and percentage of neural tissue. Compound muscle action potentials were observed only in CD133(+) cell-treated rats. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the transplanted CD133(+) cells differentiated into Schwann cells by 8 weeks after transplantation.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that CD133(+) cells have potential for enhancement of histological and functional recovery from peripheral nerve injury. This attractive cell source could be purified easily from peripheral blood and could be a feasible autologous candidate for peripheral nerve injuries in the clinical setting.
Kijima
Yasumu
Y
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Japan.
Ishikawa
Masakazu
M
Sunagawa
Toru
T
Nakanishi
Kazuyoshi
K
Kamei
Naosuke
N
Yamada
Kiyotaka
K
Tanaka
Nobuhiro
N
Kawamata
Seiichi
S
Asahara
Takayuki
T
Ochi
Mitsuo
M
D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011923:Rats, Nude; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D006023:Glycoproteins; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides; C000606025:Prom1 protein, rat