Stem cells in the therapy of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Charcot's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease) is an incurable hereditary disease that leads to death. It is manifested by the death of nerve cells of the spinal cord, which ultimately leads to the loss of patients' ability to move and even breathe.

As part of 11 independent studies, a consortium of US scientists demonstrated that transplantation of nerve stem cells into the spinal cord of a mouse model of Charcot's disease delays the manifestation of the disease and slows its progression, as well as improves motor function and increases life expectancy.

Unexpectedly for researchers, it turned out that transplanted cells have a beneficial effect not by replacing dying nerve cells, but by producing factors that support the viability and functioning of preserved neurons.

Moreover, the transplanted cells not only synthesize these factors independently, but also trigger their production in the recipient's body.

Moreover, they also suppress inflammation and reduce the content of cells in the spinal cord that synthesize toxins and trigger a pathological mechanism.

The authors acknowledge that their proposed approach will not provide a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in humans, however, they believe that the effectiveness of carefully planned introduction of nerve stem cells into the spinal cord, especially in the regions that ensure the functioning of vital organs, such as the lungs, can already be tested in clinical studies.

Article by Yang D. Teng et al. Multimodal Actions of Neural Stem Cells in a Mouse Model of ALS: A Meta-Analysis published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute:
Transplanted neural stem cells treat ALS in mouse model.

20.12.2012