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World J Stem Cells. Apr 26, 2014; 6(2): 179-194
Published online Apr 26, 2014. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v6.i2.179
Neurotrauma and mesenchymal stem cells treatment: From experimental studies to clinical trials
Ana Maria Blanco Martinez, Camila de Oliveira Goulart, Bruna dos Santos Ramalho, Júlia Teixeira Oliveira, Fernanda Martins Almeida
Ana Maria Blanco Martinez, Camila de Oliveira Goulart, Bruna dos Santos Ramalho, Júlia Teixeira Oliveira, Fernanda Martins Almeida, Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Repair, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Health Science Center, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Ana Maria Blanco Martinez, Camila de Oliveira Goulart, Bruna dos Santos Ramalho, Fernanda Martins Almeida, Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Fernanda Martins Almeida, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Campus Macaé, 27930-560, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Author contributions: Martinez AMB and Almeida FM conceived and designed the manuscript; all authors contributed equally to the acquisition and analysis of data and the manuscript writing; Martinez AMB and Almeida FM revised and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Ana Maria Blanco Martinez, MD, PhD, Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Repair, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Health Science Center, bloco F - sala 12, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. martinez@histo.ufrj.br
Telephone: +55-21-25626431 Fax: +55-21-25626431
Received: October 29, 2013
Revised: February 26, 2014
Accepted: March 11, 2014
Published online: April 26, 2014
Processing time: 181 Days and 11.2 Hours
Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has attracted the attention of scientists and clinicians around the world. Basic and pre-clinical experimental studies have highlighted the positive effects of MSC treatment after spinal cord and peripheral nerve injury. These effects are believed to be due to their ability to differentiate into other cell lineages, modulate inflammatory and immunomodulatory responses, reduce cell apoptosis, secrete several neurotrophic factors and respond to tissue injury, among others. There are many pre-clinical studies on MSC treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI) and peripheral nerve injuries. However, the same is not true for clinical trials, particularly those concerned with nerve trauma, indicating the necessity of more well-constructed studies showing the benefits that cell therapy can provide for individuals suffering the consequences of nerve lesions. As for clinical trials for SCI treatment the results obtained so far are not as beneficial as those described in experimental studies. For these reasons basic and pre-clinical studies dealing with MSC therapy should emphasize the standardization of protocols that could be translated to the clinical set with consistent and positive outcomes. This review is based on pre-clinical studies and clinical trials available in the literature from 2010 until now. At the time of writing this article there were 43 and 36 pre-clinical and 19 and 1 clinical trials on injured spinal cord and peripheral nerves, respectively.

Keywords: Neurotrauma; Stem cell therapy; Mesenchymal stem cells; Pre-clinical studies; Clinical trials

Core tip: Basic and pre-clinical studies have highlighted the positive effects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatment after spinal cord injury (SCI) and nerve trauma. There are many pre-clinical studies on MSC treatment for SCI and nerve injuries. However, the same is not true for clinical trials, particularly those concerned with nerve trauma. As for clinical trials for SCI, the results obtained so far are not as beneficial as those described in experimental studies. For these reasons basic and pre-clinical studies dealing with MSC therapy should emphasize the standardization of protocols that could be translated to the clinical set with consistent and positive outcomes.