Advances in Neural Stem Cell Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury: Safety, Efficacy, and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating central nervous system (CNS) injury that leads to severe disabilities in motor and sensory functions, causing significant deterioration in patients' quality of life.Owing to the complexity of SCI pathophysiology, there has been no effective treatment for reversing neural tissue damage and recovering neurological functions. Several novel therapies targeting different stages of pathophysiological mechanisms of SCI have been developed. Among these, treatments using stem cells have great potential for the regeneration of damaged neural tissues. In this review, we have summarized recent preclinical and clinical studies focusing on neural stem cells (NSCs). NSCs are multipotent cells with specific differentiation capabilities for neural lineage. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated the regenerative effects of transplanted NSCs in SCI animal models through both paracrine effects and direct neuronal differentiation, restoring synaptic connectivity and neural networks. Based on the positive results of several preclinical studies, phase I and II clinical trials using NSCs have been performed. Despite several hurdles and issues that need to be addressed in the clinical use of NSCs in patients with SCI, gradual progress in the technical development and therapeutic efficacy of NSCs treatments has enhanced the prospects for cell-based treatments in SCI.

Impact of Endurance Training on Regeneration of Axons, Glial Cells, and Inhibitory Neurons after Spinal Cord Injury: A Link between Functional Outcome and Regeneration Potential within the Lesion Site and in Adjacent Spinal Cord Tissue

“…Over the past decade, remarkable progress has been made in neural stem cell therapy for SCI [43]. Su et al [44] examined the reprogramming of endogenous scar-forming astrocytes into neurons in the adult mouse spinal cord and found that a high-mobility group of DNA-binding domain transcription factor, SOX2-induced adult neurogenesis can generate mature neurons with features of GABA-ergic interneurons in injured valproic acid (VPA)-treated spinal cords.…”

“…Although the number of converted neurons was low, the authors have shown that new neurons were capable of forming synapses with pre-existing CHAT + motoneurons, suggesting potential integration into the local neural network of the injured spinal cord [44]. Currently, cell therapy is one of the effective therapeutic strategies for SCI; however, more studies are required to verify the potential of such treatment to regenerate and/or remyelinate axons, and to incorporate new neural cells into the milieu of a traumatic SCI [43].…”

Electroacupuncture-Modulated MiR-106b-5p Expression Enhances Autophagy by Targeting Beclin-1 to Promote Motor Function Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

“…A spinal cord injury (SCI) is an extremely serious neurological event characterized by permanent disability in the body below the injured region. The affected individual’s resulting inability to work (labor) and the costs of long-term treatment impose a heavy financial burden on their family and the wider community [ 1 ]. Despite concerted efforts focused on SCIs in global terms, no effective breakthrough has yet been made toward a cure for the neurological dysfunction caused by an SCI [ 2 , 3 ].…”

Bibliometric analysis of stem cells for spinal cord injury: current status and emerging frontiers

“…However, in the vast literature, which articles have significant value, which countries, institutions, and authors have made important contributions, what are the current research hotspots in the field, and what are the future development directions of this field, all need to be considered and answered. So far, numerous literature reviews and expert opinions have attempted to elucidate the research status and frontiers of stem cell therapy for spinal cord injury ( Tashiro et al, 2021 ; Lee et al, 2022 ; Zipser et al, 2022 ). However, these studies are relatively fragmented and subjectively focused, with insufficient comprehensiveness and systematicness, and less objective and quantitative, which is not conducive to researchers’ overall understanding of the field.…”