title: Transplantation of autologous activated Schwann cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury: six cases, more than five years of follow-up.
abstract: Schwann cells (SCs) are the main glial cells of the peripheral nervous system, which can promote neural regeneration. Grafting of autologous SCs is one of the well-established and commonly performed procedures for peripheral nerve repair. With the aim to improve the clinical condition  of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), a program of grafting autologous activated Schwann cells (AASCs), as well as a series of appropriate neurorehabilitation programs, was employed to achieve the best therapeutic effects. We selected six patients who had a history of SCI before transplantation.  At first, AASCs were obtained by prior ligation of sural nerve and subsequently isolated, cultured, and purified in vitro. Then the patients accepted an operation of laminectomy and cell transplantation, and no severe adverse event was observed in any of these patients. Motor and sensitive  improvements were evaluated by means of American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading and Functional Independence Measure (FIM); bladder and urethral function were determined by clinical and urodynamic examination; somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and motor evoked potentials (MEPs)  were used to further confirm the functional recovery following transplantation. The patients were followed up for more than 5 years. All of the patients showed some signs of improvement in autonomic, motor, and sensory function. So we concluded that AASC transplantation might be feasible,  safe, and effective to promote neurorestoration of SCI patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xian-Hu
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Guang-Zhi
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.forename: Shi-Qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Jia-Tong
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yong-Fa
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: De-Xiang
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Ban
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000601:surgery*