Spinal Reproduction with Neuronal Stem Cell Implantation for Ischernic Spinal Cord Injury

2004 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 15591469
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Thoracic surgery
• Research Institution: Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: TERADA Hitoshi Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, First Department of Surgery, Assistant, 医学部附属病院, 助手 (80334978)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KAZUI Teruhisa Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, First Department of Surgery, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (20094203) ; HANBA Hiroki Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Neurosurgery, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (60198405) ; TOKUYAMA Tsutomu Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Neurosurgery, Assistant, 医学部附属病院, 助手 (90313957)
• Project Period (FY): 2003 – 2004
• Keywords: ischemic spinal cord injury / neuronal stem cell implantation / spinal reproduction / paraplegia model of rat

Research Abstract

The objective was to establish a paraplegic model of rat caused by spinal cord ischemia which can survive more than 3 months after paraplegia. Spinal cord ischemia was induced by occlusion of the abdominal aorta just below the renal arteries or occlusion of thoracic aorta between the left common carotid and the left subclavian arteries for different time. The Hind-limb motor function was assessed using a 5-point scale (0, normal ; 1, toes flat under body when walking but ataxia is present ; 2, knuckle walking ; 3, movements in lower extremities but unable to knuckle walk ; 4, no movement, drags lower extremities) at 4, 24 and 48 hours after ischemia. Local hypothermia with a small ice-cyst close to liver and kidneys, ischemic preconditioning of abdominal organs or occlusion thoracic aorta just below the azygous vein were enrolled to prolong the survival duration of paraplegic rats. The results showed that it was difficult to induce paraplegia in rats by occlusion abdominal aorta even when the ischemic time was as long as 55 min. Occlusion of thoracic aorta for 18 min resulted in complete paraplegia for all rats. But it was difficult for paraplegic rats to survive more than 7 days after operation while incomplete paraplegic rats survived for a much longer time. Local hypothermia and ischemic preconditioning of abdominal organs improved the survival duration of paraplegic rats to a very limited degree. Occlusion of thoracic aorta at a comparable level did not improve the survival duration of paraplegic rats.