Human spinal GABA neurons survive and mature in the injured nonhuman primate spinal cord
Stem Cell Reports, 2023 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stemcr.2022.12.016 · Published: January 19, 2023
Simple Explanation
Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in permanent loss of neural function due to the inability of damaged neurons to regenerate and restore destroyed neural circuits. This study explores the potential of using human stem cell-derived spinal GABA neurons to repair the injured spinal cord in a nonhuman primate model. The researchers transplanted human spinal GABA neurons into the injured spinal cords of rhesus macaques. They found that these transplanted neurons survived for up to 7.5 months, matured, and grew axons, forming synapses within the monkey's spinal cord. This suggests that human spinal neurons can integrate into the host's neural circuitry. The study also demonstrated that the transplanted human neurons were functionally active, as evidenced by their response to DREADD activation. This indicates that the neurons could potentially modulate neural activity in the injured spinal cord, representing a significant step toward clinical translation for treating SCI.
Key Findings
- 1Human spinal GABA neurons, derived from pluripotent stem cells, can survive for up to 7.5 months after transplantation into the injured spinal cord of rhesus macaques.
- 2The transplanted human neurons mature, extend axons, and form synapses within the host monkey's spinal cord, indicating integration with the existing neural circuitry.
- 3Designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drug (DREADD) activation confirmed that the transplanted neurons were functionally alive.
Research Summary
Practical Implications
Clinical Translation Potential
The study's findings support the potential for using human spinal neuron transplantation as a therapeutic strategy for treating spinal cord injury in humans.
Further Research
The successful integration and functionality of the transplanted neurons warrant further investigation into their long-term effects on functional recovery and potential side effects.
Refining Transplantation Techniques
Further optimization of transplantation techniques, such as increasing the number of grafted cells and using biomaterials to support cell survival and maturation, could enhance the therapeutic benefits.
Study Limitations
- 1The study only involved a small sample size (four monkeys), which limits the generalizability of the findings.
- 2The hSyn antibody can recognize monkey synapses, making it uncertain whether these synapses authentically originate from human neurons
- 3The study only assessed the survival and maturation of the transplanted neurons, without a comprehensive evaluation of functional recovery.