Clinical trial of Spinal Cord Regeneration Treatment by Transplanting Olfactory Ensheathing Cells (OECs) in Dogs

2009 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20880027
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (Start-up)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Clinical veterinary science
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: ITO Daisuke Nihon University, 生物資源科学部, 助手 (40508694)
• Project Period (FY): 2008 – 2009
• Keywords: 再生医療 / Olfactory Ensheathing Glia(OEG) / 鼻粘膜 / 嗅粘膜 / 脊髄疾患

Research Abstract

The purpose of this study was a clinical trial of nasal mucosa derived OECs transplantation therapy to regenerate the function of the spinal cord in the clinical cases of dogs with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury. However I could not apply the therapy to any case because the owner of dogs did not agree with this clinical trial, although there were many dogs which could become candidate. Therefore I established new method to harvest the olfactory mucosa without craniotomy by endoscopic biopsy via nasal cavity. In addition I studied electrophysiological examination using extradural catheter electrode in dogs to select cases for cell transplantation therapy and to decide the efficacy of the therapy.