2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Clinical Trial of Spinal Cord Regeneration Therapy by Injection of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells(OECs) in Dogs with Spinal Cord Injury

Research Project

Project/Area Number	22780287
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Clinical veterinary science
Research Institution	Nihon University
Principal Investigator	ITO Daisuke 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 助教 (40508694)
Project Period (FY)	2010 – 2011
Keywords	再生医療 / Olfactory Ensheathing Glia(OEG) / 鼻粘膜
Research Abstract	The main purpose of this study was a clinical trial of spinal cord regeneration therapy by transplanting autologous olfactory ensheathing cells(OECs) derived from nasal mucosa in dogs with severe spinal cord injury(SCI). Although few cases cleared the case selection for OECs transplantation therapy, the owners of dogs did not consent the therapy. However it has been revealed that measurement of concentration of specific protein within cerebrospinal fluid obtained from SCI dogs is useful to assess severity of SCI and predict the outcome. Furthermore, intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential(SEP) could be measured using an extradural catheter electrode in canine SCI cases. The assessment of intraoperative SEP might be used as not only intraoperative monitoring but also predict factor of outcome. In addition, it has been revealed that motor evoked potential(MEP) could be easily measured via skin in dog.