Stem cells may be the answer to treating serious spine injuries
Scientists have repaired a patient’s spinal cords using their own stem cells
Researchers from Yale University and Japan have recently invented an invasive procedure that can be an effective treatment for seemingly irreversible spinal cord injuries. These scientists have injected mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), multipotent stem cells derived from the bone marrow, into patients with severe spinal cord injuries, to assess how the cells may repair the damage done to the bones. The team has published their findings in the Journal of Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery on February 18th.
In the study, the researchers tested thirteen patients with spinal cord injuries. These patients received a single intravenous injection of auto-serum containing MSCs. The research team assessed the feasibility and safety of the procedure and the neurological function of the patients post-injection using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale, and the International Standards for Neurological and Functional Classification of Spinal Cord (ISCSCI-92). The patients’ ability of daily living was assessed using the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM-III). The study protocol was based on advice provided by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency in Japan, and the trial was registered with the Japan Medical Association (JMA-IIA00154).
The patients in the study were then assessed six months after the initial MSC injection, and there have been some promising results from the trial. So, most importantly, there were no serious negative effects resulting from the MSC injection. Most of the patients saw substantial improvements in key functions, such as their ability to walk or to use their hands, and there was neurologic improvement based on ASIA grade in twelve of the thirteen patients. Five of six patients classified as ASIA A prior to MSC infusion improved to ASIA B (3/6) or ASIA C (2/6), two ASIA B patients improved to ASIA C (1/2) or ASIA D (1/2), five ASIA C patients improved and reached a functional status of ASIA D (5/5). Notably, improvement from ASIA C to ASIA D was observed one day following MSC infusion for all five patients. Assessment of both ISCSCI-92, SCIM-III also demonstrated functional improvements.
While this study is promising in showing the potential of this innovative treatment, it is the first of many, and more research and testing needs to be done before this kind of treatment is made available to the public. However, this is a very exciting and meaningful discovery which will revolutionise medical treatment for spinal cord injuries, and create a path towards more discoveries in the field of stem cell research.