Autologous mesenchymal stromal cells embedded in tricalcium phosphate for posterolateral spinal fusion: results of a prospective phase I/II clinical trial with long-term follow-up

Abstract

Background Posterolateral spinal fusion with autologous bone graft is considered the “gold standard” for lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) when surgical treatment is indicated. The potential role of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to replace the bone graft in this setting has not been fully addressed. Objective To analyze the safety, feasibility and potential clinical efficacy of the implantation of autologous MSCs embedded with tricalcium phosphate as a therapeutic alternative to bone graft in patients with DDD during posterolateral spine fusion. Study design Phase I/II single-arm prospective clinical trial. Methods Eleven patients with monosegmental DDD at L4–L5 or L5–S1 level were included. Autologous bone marrow-derived MSC were expanded in our Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Facility and implanted during spinal surgery embedded in a tricalcium phosphate carrier. Monitoring of patients included a postoperative period of 12 months with four visits (after the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 12th month), with clinical and radiological assessment that included the visual analog scale (VAS), the Oswestry disability index (ODI), the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), the vertebral fusion grade observed through a simple Rx, and the evaluation of possible complications or adverse reactions. In addition, all patients were further followed up to 5 years for outcome. Results Median age of patients included was 44 years (range 30–58 years), and male/female ratio was (6/5) L4–L5 and L5–S1 DDD was present five and six patients, respectively. Autologous MSCs were expanded in all cases. There were no adverse effects related to cell implantation. Regarding efficacy, both VAS and ODI scores improved after surgery. Radiologically, 80% of patients achieved lumbar fusion at the end of the follow-up. No adverse effects related to the procedure were recorded. Conclusions The use of autologous MSCs for spine fusion in patients with monosegmental degenerative disc disease is feasible, safe, and potentially effective. Trial registration no. EudraCT: 2010–018335-17 ; code Identifier: NCT01513694 ( clinicaltrials.gov ). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13287-019-1166-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cell-based therapy: mechanism, systemic safety and biodistribution for precision clinical applications

“…However, genetically engineered MSCs also raise other safety concerns. Although several clinical trials claimed the safety of MSC-treated patients, however, most of the trials only showed short-term safety and are without the examination of tumor-associated biomarkers [ 267 , 268 ].…”

Osteogenic commitment of Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stromal cells: mechanisms and implications for bioprocess development and clinical application

“…Although systemic infusion of MSC has been shown to increase bone growth and repair in clinical trials [53][54][55], administered cells engraft poorly. In this line, previous in vivo studies carried out by our group in which ovine eGFP+ BM-MSC were infused in an ovine model of osteonecrosis of the femoral head demonstrated the presence of non-stained eGFP osteocytes in newly formed bone matrix, suggesting that contribution of MSC lies also in paracrine signalling that activate and recruit host osteoblasts to the bone repair areas [56].…”

Stem cell therapy for degenerative disc disease: A review

“…However, this improvement was noted only in 40% of the cohort [11]. In 2019, Blanco et al [20] conducted phase I/II clinical trials to analyze the safety, efficacy, and clinical feasibility of autologous BMSCs embedded with tricalcium phosphate as a therapeutic alternative to bone graft in patients with DDD during posterolateral spine fusion. Eleven patients were included in the study, age of the patients was within the range of 30-58yrs.…”