Progress and challenges with clinical cell therapy in neurorestoratology

Abstract

Cell therapies in the treatment of central nervous system disease and injury, such as spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, sequelae of stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and cerebral palsy, have been studied in the clinic for the last 10-20 years. Excitingly, many studies have demonstrated that most patients appear to have some functional improvement following administration of different types of cells by different routes with relatively low risk and good tolerability. However, there are some misconceptions that hinder the development of cell-based neurorestorative strategies. It is a considerable challenge but also an opportunity for physicians in neurorestoratology to face these issues. This review briefly outlines the progress made in neurorestoratology, discusses the relevant issues, and attempts to correct the misconceptions.

Epidemiology of worldwide spinal cord injury: a literature review

“…Although some treatment methods such as cell therapy have played a beneficial clinical effect, there is no effective measure to cure SCI. 1 Its expensive treatment cost, long recovery treatment and the loss of labor force always bring great influence to the individual and family, and also bring a heavy burden on the society. Accordingly, a coordinated multisystem approach must be taken into consideration to treat the injury itself and the accompanying complications.…”

Neurorestorative effect of olfactory ensheathing cells and Schwann cells by intranasal delivery for patients with ischemic stroke: design of a multicenter randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled clinical study

“…Intranasal administration of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMMSCs) in stroke animals showed neurorestorative effects, which included reducing infarct size and blood-brain barrier disruption, promoting angiogenesis, neurogenesis, neurovascular repair, improving local cerebral blood and promoting neurological functional recovery of sensorimotor and social behavior [49,50]. Generally neurorestorative mechanisms of cell therapies have more others, such as, neuromodulation or unmasking and signaling repair by changing the microenvironment, neuroprotection through secreting neurotrophins, anti-inflammatory response or immunomodulation, neuroplasticity or neural circuit or network reconstruction and neurosynapsis, axonal remyelination or neurorepair, axon sprouting and regeneration, and neuroreplacement [51,52].…”

A brief introduction to the thematic series of neurorestoration in neurotrauma

“…7,8 Traumatic injuries such as brain injury and SCI still are reasons which severely affect the patients' physical and/or cognitive abilities. Therefore, neurotrauma in the central nervous system is a big challenge for further restoring neurological functions due to the presence of many molecules inhibitory or poor intrinsic microenvironment after neurorestoration.…”