Open AccessHuman Mesenchymal Cells from Adipose Tissue Deposit Laminin and Promote Regeneration of Injured Spinal Cord in Rats
Author(s) -
Karla Menezes,
Marcos Assis Nascimento,
Juliana Pena Gonçalves,
Aline Silva da Cruz,
Daiana V. Lopes,
Bianca Azevedo Curzio,
Martín Bonamino,
João R.L. Menezes,
Radovan Borojević,
Maria Rossi,
Tatiana CoelhoSampaio
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0096020
Subject(s) - adipose tissue , mesenchymal stem cell , spinal cord , regeneration (biology) , microbiology and biotechnology , laminin , anatomy , biology , pathology , medicine , neuroscience , extracellular matrix , endocrinology
Cell therapy is a promising strategy to pursue the unmet need for treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). Although several studies have shown that adult mesenchymal cells contribute to improve the outcomes of SCI, a descripton of the pro-regenerative events triggered by these cells is still lacking. Here we investigated the regenerative properties of human adipose tissue derived stromal cells (hADSCs) in a rat model of spinal cord compression. Cells were delivered directly into the spinal parenchyma immediately after injury. Human ADSCs promoted functional recovery, tissue preservation, and axonal regeneration. Analysis of the cord tissue showed an abundant deposition of laminin of human origin at the lesion site and spinal midline; the appearance of cell clusters composed of neural precursors in the areas of laminin deposition, and the appearance of blood vessels with separated basement membranes along the spinal axis. These effects were also observed after injection of hADSCs into non-injured spinal cord. Considering that laminin is a well-known inducer of axonal growth, as well a component of the extracellular matrix associated to neural progenitors, we propose that it can be the paracrine factor mediating the pro-regenerative effects of hADSCs in spinal cord injury.