Disease modifying treatment of spinal cord injury with directly reprogrammed neural precursor cells in non-human primates

BACKGROUNDThe development of regenerative therapy for human spinal cord injury (SCI) is dramatically restricted by two main challenges: the need for a safe source of functionally active and reproducible neural stem cells and the need of adequate animal models for preclinical testing. Direct reprogramming of somatic cells into neuronal and glial precursors might be a promising solution to the first challenge. The use of non-human primates for preclinical studies exploring new treatment paradigms in SCI results in data with more translational relevance to human SCI.AIMTo investigate the safety and efficacy of intraspinal transplantation of directly reprogrammed neural precursor cells (drNPCs).METHODSSeven non-human primates with verified complete thoracic SCI were divided into two groups: drNPC group (n = 4) was subjected to intraspinal transplantation of 5 million drNPCs rostral and caudal to the lesion site 2 wk post injury, and lesion control (n = 3) was injected identically with the equivalent volume of vehicle.RESULTSFollow-up for 12 wk revealed that animals in the drNPC group demonstrated a significant recovery of the paralyzed hindlimb as well as recovery of somatosensory evoked potential and motor evoked potential of injured pathways. Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging data confirmed the intraspinal transplantation of drNPCs did not adversely affect the morphology of the central nervous system or cerebrospinal fluid circulation. Subsequent immunohistochemical analysis showed that drNPCs maintained SOX2 expression characteristic of multipotency in the transplanted spinal cord for at least 12 wk, migrating to areas of axon growth cones.CONCLUSIONOur data demonstrated that drNPC transplantation was safe and contributed to improvement of spinal cord function after acute SCI, based on neurological status assessment and neurophysiological recovery within 12 wk after transplantation. The functional improvement described was not associated with neuronal differentiation of the allogeneic drNPCs. Instead, directed drNPCs migration to the areas of active growth cone formation may provide exosome and paracrine trophic support, thereby further supporting the regeneration processes.     

逆病毒载体介导双耐药基因在脐血CD34+细胞中的表达和抗性研究

为探讨转染醛脱氢酶基因(ALDHl)和多药耐药基因(MDRl)的人脐血CD34+细胞能否同时增强对活性环磷酰胺(4-HC)和MDRl基因靶药的抗性,构建了同时含ALDHl和MDRl双耐药基因的逆转录病毒表达质粒GlNa-ALDHl-IRES-MDRl,经LipofectAMINE介导转染GP+E86和PA317包装细胞,采用含长春新碱(VCR)和4-HC的培养基克隆选择后收集重组病毒上清于单向型GP+E86与双嗜型PA317包装细胞行乒乓交互感染,获得PA317重组病毒生产细胞(最高滴度达5.6×105CFU／ml),将含ALDHl和MDRl双耐药基因重组病毒的上清在细胞生长因子刺激下重复感染人脐血CD34+细胞,用PCR、RT-PCR、Southernblot、Northernblot、FACS和MTT等方法检测外源ALDHl与MDRl基因在CD34+细胞中的转移和表达。结果显示逆转录病毒载体介导的双耐药基因已经整合人转染靶细胞基因组并获得有效表达,同时传递不同的耐药表型。经双耐药基因修饰的脐血CD34+细胞对4-HC和VCR药物同时产生抗性,其IC50值分别比未转染细胞高4倍和7.2倍,本研究为开展肿瘤基因治疗的临床研究奠定了实验基础。     

舒芬太尼预处理对大鼠脊髓缺血再灌注损伤中炎性因子MPO，IL-6，IL-15的影响

目的:探讨舒芬太尼预处理对大鼠脊髓缺血再灌注损伤模型中炎性因子MPO,IL-6,IL-15的影响。方法:健康SD雄性大鼠30只,随机分为假手术组(Sham组,n=10);缺血再灌注组(IR组n=10);舒芬太尼预处理5μg/kg组(Suf5组,n=10)。采用动脉夹夹闭胸主动脉方法制备脊髓缺血再灌注模型。Tarlov法测大鼠运动评分,HE染色观察大鼠脊髓组织细胞形态,Western Blot法测脊髓组织中MPO的表达,ELISA法检测脊髓组织中IL-6,IL-15含量。结果:IR组Tarlov评分高于sham组,Suf5组Tarlov评分低于IR组。HE染色显微镜下见IR组脊髓组织内出现广泛的变性神经元,胞核固缩偏位碎裂,并有有空泡形成;Suf5组脊髓组织神经元损伤坏死数量减少,细胞核形态基本正常。Suf5组中MPO,IL-6,IL-15,含量均低于IR组,IR组中MPO,IL-6,IL-15含量均高于sham组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:舒芬太尼能降低大鼠脊髓缺血再灌注损伤组织中MPO,IL-15,1L-6表达,减轻炎症损害,进而减轻脊髓缺血再灌注损伤。     

右美托咪定联合舒芬太尼用于脊柱手术患者术后镇痛的疗效评价

目的:探讨右美托咪定联合舒芬太尼对脊柱手术患者术后镇痛效果的影响。方法:选择2013年1月至2016年8月在我院行脊柱手术的患者70例,随机分为两组,每组35例。对照组患者术后静脉注入舒芬太尼3μg/kg·h镇痛,观察组患者静脉注入右美托咪定1.5μg/kg·h联合1.5μg/kg·h舒芬太尼。分别记录患者术后6 h,12 h,24 h以及48 h的VAS评分、Ramsay评分、MAP、HR以及SpO_2等生命指征;记录患者术后苏醒期10 min,20 min,30 min以及60 min的RSAS躁动评分;同时记录患者术后48 h不良反应发生的情况。结果:监护仪监护两组患者围手术期的相关生命指征,统计分析结果显示两组患者术后HR,MAP以及SpO_2等指征没有明显的差异(P0.05);比较两组患者结束手术苏醒期的躁动情况,RSAS躁动评分显示实验组患者术后30 min之后较对照组相对安静,没有较明显的躁动行为(P0.05);实验组患者术后的VAS疼痛评分明显低于对照组(P0.05);比较两组患者的Ramsay评分发现实验组患者术后镇静程度显著优于对照组(P0.05);两组患者术后0-24 h使用镇痛泵的有效按压次数存在差异(P0.05);实验组患者术后48 h发生恶心呕吐和寒颤的不良反应发生率明显低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:右美托咪定联合舒芬太尼用于脊柱手术术后镇痛可以显著改善患者镇静状态,降低患者术后发生不良反应的发生率,值得临床上进一步推广应用。     

Mesenchymal stromal cells from human perinatal tissues: From biology to cell therapy

Cell-based regenerative medicine is of growing interest in biomedical research. The role of stem cells in this context is under intense scrutiny and may help to define principles of organ regeneration and develop innovative therapeutics for organ failure. Utilizing stem and progenitor cells for organ replacement has been conducted for many years when performing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Since the first successful transplantation of umbilical cord blood to treat hematological malignancies, non-hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell populations have recently been identified within umbilical cord blood and other perinatal and fetal tissues. A cell population entitled mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) emerged as one of the most intensely studied as it subsumes a variety of capacities: MSCs can differentiate into various subtypes of the mesodermal lineage, they secrete a large array of trophic factors suitable of recruiting endogenous repair processes and they are immunomodulatory.Focusing on perinatal tissues to isolate MSCs, we will discuss some of the challenges associated with these cell types concentrating on concepts of isolation and expansion, the comparison with cells derived from other tissue sources, regarding phenotype and differentiation capacity and finally their therapeutic potential.     

Solubilization and Characterization of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Binding Site from Porcine Spinal Cord

The binding site for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was solubilized with 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPS) in an active form from porcine spinal cord. 125I-labeled human alpha-CGRP (125I-CGRP) binding to the solubilized protein was determined by filtration using a GF/B glass filter. The maximal binding activity (approximately 60% of the crude membrane fraction) was obtained with 5 mM CHAPS. 125I-CGRP binding to the solubilized protein was of high affinity, saturability, and high specificity, having KD and Bmax values of 3.69 pM and 338 fmol/mg of protein, respectively. The binding activity was eluted in a single peak with a molecular mass of 400,000 daltons by gel filtration on TSK gel G4000SW. These results suggest that the solubilized protein may be responsible for the specific binding site.     

A neurobiological model of the recovery strategies from perturbed walking

This paper proposes a human mimetic neuro-musculo-skeletal model to simulate the recovery reactions from perturbations during walking. The computational model incorporates nonlinear viscoelastic muscular mechanics, supraspinal control of the center-of-mass, spinal pattern generator including muscle synergy network, spinal reflexes, and long-loop reflexes. Especially the long-loop reflexes specify recovery strategies based on the experimental observations [Schillings, A.M., van Wezel, B.M.H., Mulder, T.H., Duysen, J., 2000. Muscular responses and movement strategies during stumbling over obstacles. J. Neurophysiol. 83, 2093–2102; Eng, J.J., Winter, D.A., Patla, A.E., 1994. Strategies for recovery from a trip in early and late swing during human walking. Exp. Brain Res. 102, 339–349]. The model demonstrates two typical recovery strategies, i.e., elevating and lowering strategies against pulling over a swing leg. Sensed perturbation triggers a simple tonic pulse from the cortex. Depending on the swing phase, the tonic pulse activates a different compound of muscles over lower limbs. The compound induces corresponding recovery strategies. The reproduction of principal recovery behaviors may support the model's proposed functional and/or anatomical correspondence.     

A novel approach for myocardial regeneration with educated cord blood cells cocultured with cells from brown adipose tissue

Umbilical cord blood (CB) is a promising source for regeneration therapy in humans. Recently, it was shown that CB was a source of mesenchymal stem cells as well as hematopoietic stem cells, and further that the mesenchymal stem cells could differentiate into a number of cells types of mesenchymal lineage, such as cardiomyocytes (CMs), osteocytes, chondrocytes, and fat cells. Previously, we reported that brown adipose tissue derived cells (BATDCs) differentiated into CMs and these CMs could adapt functionally to repair regions of myocardial infarction. In this study, we examined whether CB mononuclear cells (CBMNCs) could effectively differentiate into CMs by coculturing them with BATDCs and determined which population among CBMNCs differentiated into CMs. The results show that BATDCs effectively induced CBMNCs that were non-hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) (educated CB cells: e-CBCs) into CMs in vitro. E-CBCs reconstituted infarcted myocardium more effectively than non-educated CBMNCs or CD34-positive HSCs. Moreover, we found that e-CBCs after 3 days coculturing with BATDCs induced the most effective regeneration for impaired CMs. This suggests that e-CBCs have a high potential to differentiate into CMs and that adequate timing of transplantation supports a high efficiency for CM regeneration. This strategy might be a promising therapy for human cardiac disease.     

Human umbilical cord blood serum can replace fetal bovine serum in the culture of mesenchymal stem cells

The potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to differentiate into different cell types has opened up the possibility of using these cells clinically to treat a variety of disorders. In this study we describe the use of human umbilical cord blood serum (CBS) as a replacement for fetal bovine serum (FBS) for culturing MSC from different sources. MSC from human and swine bone marrow and human umbilical cord blood were cultured in the presence of DMEM/F12 containing either FBS or CBS. Human MSC cultured in presence of FBS or CBS showed typical fibroblast-like morphology, which is characteristic of MSC. 99% of the cells cultured in FBS had a CD73+/CD105+/CD45- phenotype compared to 96% of cells cultured in CBS. Cells cultured in CBS had a significantly higher cell count as compared to cells cultured in FBS. Swine Bone Marrow MSC cultured in the presence of FBS and CBS were morphologically and phenotypically similar. Human umbilical cord blood serum supports the growth of MSC. While no significant differences were observed in the MSC numbers in swine cells cultured in the presence of FBS or CBS, human cells showed a greater proliferation potential in the presence of CBS as compared to FBS. Therefore, CBS can be used as an effective substitute to FBS for developing clinically useful protocols for culturing MSC.     

Review of spino-occipital and spinal nerves in Tetraodontiformes,with special reference to pectoral and pelvic fin muscle innervation

The spino-occipital nerve (SO) and ventral rami of the spinal nerves (SV) in 10 tetraodontiform families and 5 outgroup taxa were examined, with special reference to pectoral and pelvic fin muscle innervation. Compared with the outgroup taxa, tetraodontiforms were characteristic in having SO3 + SV1 (SO3 in tetraodontids) that gave off several lateral subbranches to the pectoral fin base and SO participation in infracarinalis anterior innervation. SO and SV1 were connected with one another (6 patterns) before entering the pectoral fin muscles in most species, including the outgroup taxa, resulting in the participation of SV1 in the innervation of almost all of the pectoral fin muscles. SO3 + SV1 was present in all tetraodontiforms (except in 2 tetraodontids having only SO3) and the outgroup taxa, an upper dorsal branch uniformly extending dorsally into the pectoral fin base. The pectoral fin base also received a branch ventrally, but its identity differed (participation or nonparticipation of SV2). SV1 alone constituting the branch was a derived condition occurring in Aracanidae, Ostraciidae, Tetraodontidae, Diodontidae, and Molidae. No strong characters supporting a tetraodontiform sister group were recognized among the spino-occipital nerve and ventral rami of spinal nerves.