Muse cell transplantation for spinal cord injury in chronic phase

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K09494
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Koda Masao 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 准教授 (50361449)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 古矢 丈雄 千葉大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (00507337) ; 出沢 真理 東北大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (50272323) ; 山崎 正志 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 教授 (50281712) ; 高橋 宏 東邦大学, 医学部, 講師 (80597047)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 脊髄損傷 / 再生医療 / 細胞移植 / 多能性幹細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Effective treatments for chronic spinal cord injury have not been established. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Muse (Multilineage differentiating Stress Enduring) cell transplantation for chronic spinal cord injury. An eight-week-old female C57BL6 mouse was subjected to spinal cord contusion injury under general anesthesia, and cell transplantation was performed six weeks after the surgery. Muse cells were transplanted via intravenous injection through the tail vein. The locomotor function of the mice after transplantation was evaluated longitudinally using the Basso mouse score, and tissue sections were examined to confirm tissue repair. Both behavioral and histological evaluations did not demonstrate therapeutic effects of Muse cell transplantation in chronic spinal cord injury.

Free Research Field

脊髄損傷

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脊髄損傷に対するMuse細胞移植の臨床応用に際して、適切な投与時期を検討するための重要な基礎データとなりうる。すなわちヒト脊髄損傷患者においては受傷後早期～数週後程度の時期が適切であると思われる（マウスの脊髄損傷後6週は人間で言えばおそらく数か月後に該当すると言われているため）。あるいは慢性期脊髄損傷に対しては細胞移植単独ではその効果に限界があることを示唆するともいえよう。