Neuroscience. 2018 Dec 13. pii: S0306-4522(18)30814-5. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.12.005. [Epub ahead of print]

Effects of Different Doses of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Functional Recovery After Compressive Spinal-Cord Injury in Mice.

Dos Santos Ramalho B¹, Marques Pestana F¹, Andrade Prins C¹, Soares Dos Santos Cardoso F¹, Rufino Cavalcante D¹, Augusto Lopes de Souza S², Gutfilen B², Martins de Almeida F³, Maria Blanco Martinez A¹.

Abstract

Despite advances in technology and rehabilitation, no effective therapies are available for patients with SCI, which remains a major medical challenge. This study compared the efficacy of 3 different doses of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) administered by intraperitoneal injection as a therapeutic strategy for compressive SCI. We used adult female C57BL/6 mice that underwent laminectomy at the T9 level, followed by spinal-cord compression for 1 minute with a 30 g vascular clip. The animals received an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of MSCs (8×10⁴, 8×10⁵ or 8×10⁶ in 500 μl) or DMEM (500 μl), one week after SCI. The cells of the 3 MSC doses administered i.p. were able to migrate to the injury site, increase local expression of trophic factors, and enhance fiber sparing and/or regeneration, accompanied by substantial improvement in locomotor performance. Cell transplantation at 8×10⁵ density showed the best therapeutic potential, leading to significant tissue and functional improvements compared to the other 2 doses. These findings indicate that i.p. application of MSCs at the density of 8×10⁵ yielded the best results, suggesting that this dose is a good choice for SCI treatment.