Functional outcome of bone marrow stem cells (CD45(+)/CD34(-)) after cell therapy in chronic spinal cord injury in Wistar rats.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Therapy with diverse cell types has been proposed to regenerate spinal cord injuries seeking to minimize the consequences for the lives of chronic patients. The types considered are: mononuclear and mesenchymal adult stem cells, embryonic stem cells, and Schwann cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety male Wistar rats that underwent spinal cord contusion injury (NYU Impactor) were followed with the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale for 14 days. Animals with scores < or = 16 were randomly divided into 2 groups: control (vehicle) versus cell therapy group. The mononuclear fraction (CD45(+)/CD34(-)) obtained by puncture-aspiration of the bone marrow was isolated by a density gradient (d = 1.077). The parenchymal cell infusion was performed using a syringe (100 U/1 mL) with a 30G1/2 needle. The animals were followed for 10 days before euthanasia. Statistical analyses comparing groups were performed by the Mann-Whitney test and group comparisons by the Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: Among 90 injured rats, 65 (72.2%) survived, including 44 whose scores were < or = 16. Eleven animals finished the study in the control group (64.7%) and 17 in the therapy group (80.9%). The statistical analyses did not demonstrate significance (P > .05) for either test. CONCLUSION: Mononuclear adult stem cell therapy was not demonstrated to be functionally effective for chronic spinal cord injury.