Progress in clinical trials of cell transplantation for the treatment of spinal cord injury: how many questions remain unanswered?

• Published in: Neural regeneration research Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 405 - 413
• Main Authors: Hu, Xu-Chang, Lu, Yu-Bao, Yang, Yong-Na, Kang, Xue-Wen, Wang, Yong-Gang, Ma, Bing, Xing, Shuai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mumbai Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.03.2021; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Key Laboratory of Bone and Joint Diseases Research of Gansu Province, Department of Orthopedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China%Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China%Department of Neurology, The First People's Hospital of Lanzhou City, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China; Wolters Kluwer - Medknow; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Analysis; Care and treatment; central nervous system; clinical trials; injury; plasticity; protection; regeneration; repair; spinal cord; stem cells; Clinical trials; Methods; Review; Spinal cord injuries; Stem cell transplantation; Stem cells; China; repair; stem cells; regeneration; plasticity; clinical trials; protection; injury; spinal cord; central nervous system
• ISSN: 1673-5374; 1876-7958
• DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.293130

Spinal cord injury can lead to severe motor, sensory and autonomic nervous dysfunctions. However, there is currently no effective treatment for spinal cord injury. Neural stem cells and progenitor cells, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, olfactory ensheathing cells, umbilical cord blood stem cells, adipose stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, oligodendrocyte precursor cells, macrophages and Schwann cells have been studied as potential treatments for spinal cord injury. These treatments were mainly performed in animals. However, subtle changes in sensory function, nerve root movement and pain cannot be fully investigated with animal studies. Although these cell types have shown excellent safety and effectiveness in various animal models, sufficient evidence of efficacy for clinical translation is still lacking. Cell transplantation should be combined with tissue engineering scaffolds, local drug delivery systems, postoperative adjuvant therapy and physical rehabilitation training as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to provide the possibility for patients with SCI to return to normal life. This review summarizes and analyzes the clinical trials of cell transplantation therapy in spinal cord injury, with the aim of providing a rational foundation for the development of clinical treatments for spinal cord injury.