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Shen Y, Cao X, Lu M, Gu H, Li M, Posner DA. Current treatments after spinal cord injury: Cell engineering, tissue engineering, and combined therapies. SMART MEDICINE 2022; 1:e20220017. [PMID: 39188731 PMCID: PMC11235943 DOI: 10.1002/smmd.20220017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 08/28/2024]
Abstract
Both traumatic and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) can be categorized as damages done to our central nervous system (CNS). The patients' physical and mental health may suffer greatly because of traumatic SCI. With the widespread use of motor vehicles and increasingly aged population, the occurrence of SCI is more frequent than before, creating a considerable burden to global public health. The regeneration process of the spinal cord is hampered by a series of events that occur following SCI like edema, hemorrhage, formation of cystic cavities, and ischemia. An effective strategy for the treatment of SCI and functional recovery still has not been discovered; however, recent advances have been made in bioengineering fields that therapies based on cells, biomaterials, and biomolecules have proved effective in the repair of the spinal cord. In the light of worldwide importance of treatments for SCI, this article aims to provide a review of recent advances by first introducing the physiology, etiology, epidemiology, and mechanisms of SCI. We then put emphasis on the widely used clinical treatments and bioengineering strategies (cell-based, biomaterial-based, and biomolecule-based) for the functional regeneration of the spinal cord as well as challenges faced by scientists currently. This article provides scientists and clinicians with a comprehensive outlook on the recent advances of preclinical and clinical treatments of SCI, hoping to help them find keys to the functional regeneration of SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingbo Shen
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xinyue Cao
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Minhui Lu
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Hongcheng Gu
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Minli Li
- State Key Laboratory of BioelectronicsSchool of Biological Science and Medical EngineeringSoutheast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - David A. Posner
- Molecular Immunity UnitCambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious DiseasesDepartment of MedicineUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
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A Two-Stage Process for Differentiation of Wharton's Jelly-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Neuronal-like Cells. Stem Cells Int 2021; 2021:6631651. [PMID: 34135973 PMCID: PMC8177978 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6631651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
With no permanent cure for neurodegenerative diseases, the symptoms reappear shortly after the withdrawal of medicines. A better treatment outcome can be expected if the damaged neurons are partly replaced by functional neurons and/or they are repaired using trophic factors. In this regard, safe cell therapy has been considered as a potential alternative to conventional treatment. Here, we have described a two-stage culture process to differentiate Wharton Jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) into neuronal-like cells in the presence of various cues involved in neurogenesis. The fate of cells at the end of each stage was analyzed at the morphometric, transcriptional, and translational levels. In the first stage of priming, constitutively, wingless-activated WJ-MSCs crossed the lineage boundary in favor of neuroectodermal lineage, identified by the loss of mesenchymal genes with concomitant expression of neuron-specific markers, like SOX1, PAX6, NTRK1, and NEUROD2. Neuronal-like cells formed in the second stage expressed many mature neuronal proteins like Map2, neurofilament, and Tuj1 and possessed axon hillock-like structures. In conclusion, the differentiation of a large number of neuronal-like cells from nontumorigenic and trophic factors secreting WJ-MSCs promises the development of a therapeutic strategy to treat neurodegenerative diseases.
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Luo W, Gong Y, Qiu F, Yuan Y, Jia W, Liu Z, Gao L. NGF nanoparticles enhance the potency of transplanted human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells for myocardial repair. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2021; 320:H1959-H1974. [PMID: 33769916 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00855.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated whether human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUCMSC) fibrin patches loaded with nerve growth factor (NGF) poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles could enhance the therapeutic potency of hUCMSCs for myocardial infarction (MI). In vitro, NGF significantly improved the proliferation of hUCMSCs and mitigated cytotoxicity and apoptosis under hypoxic injury. NGF also promoted the paracrine effects of hUCMSCs on angiogenesis and cardiomyocyte protection. The tyrosine kinase A (TrkA) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-serine/threonine protein kinase (Akt) signaling pathways in hUCMSCs were involved in the NGF-induced protection. NGF PLGA nanoparticles continued to release NGF for at least 1 mo and also exerted a protective effect on hUCMSCs, the same with free NGF. In vivo, we treated MI mice with nothing (MI group), a cell-free fibrin patch with blank PLGA nanoparticles (MI + OP group), a cell-free fibrin patch with NGF nanoparticles (MI + NGF group), and hUCMSC fibrin patches with blank PLGA nanoparticles (MI + MSC group) or NGF PLGA nanoparticles (MSC + NGF group). Among these groups, the MSC + NGF group exhibited the best cardiac contractile function, the smallest infarct size, and the thickest ventricular wall. The application of NGF PLGA nanoparticles significantly improved the retention of transplanted hUCMSCs and enhanced their ability to reduce myocardial apoptosis and promote angiogenesis in the mouse heart after MI. These findings demonstrate the promising therapeutic potential of hUCMSC fibrin cardiac patches loaded with NGF PLGA nanoparticles.NEW & NOTEWORTHY NGF PLGA nanoparticles can exert a protective effect on hUCMSCs and promote the paracrine effects of hUCMSCs on angiogenesis and cardiomyocyte protection through TrkA-PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, the same with free NGF. The application of NGF PLGA nanoparticles in the hUCMSC fibrin cardiac patches can significantly improve the retention of transplanted hUCMSCs and enhance their ability to reduce myocardial apoptosis and promote angiogenesis in the mouse heart after MI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Luo
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanshan Gong
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fan Qiu
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Yuan
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenwen Jia
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongmin Liu
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical translation, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Gao
- Translational Medical Center for Stem Cell Therapy and Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Institute of Stem Cell Research and Clinical translation, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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Masood MI, Schäfer KH, Naseem M, Weyland M, Meiser P. Troxerutin flavonoid has neuroprotective properties and increases neurite outgrowth and migration of neural stem cells from the subventricular zone. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237025. [PMID: 32797057 PMCID: PMC7428079 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Troxerutin (TRX) is a water-soluble flavonoid which occurs commonly in the edible plants. Recent studies state that TRX improves the functionality of the nervous system and neutralizes Amyloid-ß induced neuronal toxicity. In this study, an in vitro assay based upon Neural stem cell (NSCs) isolated from the subventricular zone of the postnatal balb/c mice was established to explore the impact of TRX on individual neurogenesis processes in general and neuroprotective effect against ß-amyloid 1-42 (Aß42) induced inhibition in differentiation in particular. NSCs were identified exploiting immunostaining of the NSCs markers. Neurosphere clonogenic assay and BrdU/Ki67 immunostaining were employed to unravel the impact of TRX on proliferation. Differentiation experiments were carried out for a time span lasting from 48 h to 7 days utilizing ß-tubulin III and GFAP as neuronal and astrocyte marker respectively. Protective effects of TRX on Aß42 induced depression of NSCs differentiation were determined after 48 h of application. A neurosphere migration assay was carried out for 24 h in the presence and absence of TRX. Interestingly, TRX enhanced neuronal differentiation of NSCs in a dose-dependent manner after 48 h and 7 days of incubation and significantly enhanced neurite growth. A higher concentration of TRX also neutralized the inhibitory effects of Aß42 on neurite outgrowth and length after 48 h of incubation. TRX significantly stimulated cell migration. Overall, TRX not only promoted NSCs differentiation and migration but also neutralized the inhibitory effects of Aß42 on NSCs. TRX, therefore, offers an interesting lead structure from the perspective of drug design especially to promote neurogenesis in neurological disorders i.e. Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Irfan Masood
- Division of Bioorganic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
- ENS Group, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Mahrukh Naseem
- Department of Zoology, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan
| | - Maximilian Weyland
- ENS Group, University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, Germany
| | - Peter Meiser
- Medical Scientific Department GM, URSAPHARM Arzneimittel GmbH, Saarbrücken, Germany
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Chow CFW, Che S, Qin HY, Kwan HY, Bian ZX, Wong HLX. From psychology to physicality: how nerve growth factor transduces early life stress into gastrointestinal motility disorders later in life. Cell Cycle 2019; 18:1824-1829. [PMID: 31272268 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2019.1637203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental stressors in early childhood can have a detrimental impact later in life, manifesting in functional gastrointestinal disorders including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The phenomenon is also observed in rodents, where neonatal-maternal separation, a model of early life stress, induces phenotypes similar to IBS; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unelucidated. Our recent study provided a mechanism for the pathogenesis in the gut, demonstrating that increased visceral hyperalgesia resulted from the expansion of the intestinal stem cell compartment leading to increased differentiation and proliferation of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine/5-HT)-producing enterochromaffin cells. Moreover, it identified nerve growth factor (NGF) as a key mediator of the pathogenesis; surprisingly, it exerts its effect via cross talk with Wnt/β-catenin signaling. This article addresses the roles of NGF in driving IBS and its potential clinical implications, outstanding questions in how psychological stimuli are transduced into physical phenotypes, as well as future directions of our findings. Abbreviations: 5-HT: 5-hydroxytryptamine/serotonin; BDNF: brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CRF: corticotrophin-releasing factor; EC: enterochromaffin; ENS: enteric nervous system; GI: gastrointestinal; GPCR: G-protein-coupled receptor; IBS (-D): irritable bowel syndrome (diarrhea predominant); LRP5/6: low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5/6; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinase; NGF: nerve growth factor; NMS: neonatal-maternal separation; PI3K: phosphoinositode3-kinase; PLCγ: phospholipase c, gamma subtype; TrkA: tropomyosin receptor kinase A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Fung Willis Chow
- a Institute of Brain and Gut Axis (IBAG), Centre of Clinical Research for Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University , Kowloon Tong , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Sijia Che
- a Institute of Brain and Gut Axis (IBAG), Centre of Clinical Research for Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University , Kowloon Tong , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Hong-Yan Qin
- b Department of Pharmacy, First Hospital of Lanzhou University , Lanzhou , China
| | - Hiu Yee Kwan
- a Institute of Brain and Gut Axis (IBAG), Centre of Clinical Research for Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University , Kowloon Tong , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Zhao-Xiang Bian
- a Institute of Brain and Gut Axis (IBAG), Centre of Clinical Research for Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University , Kowloon Tong , Hong Kong SAR , China
| | - Hoi Leong Xavier Wong
- a Institute of Brain and Gut Axis (IBAG), Centre of Clinical Research for Chinese Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University , Kowloon Tong , Hong Kong SAR , China
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