PLoS Biology, 2016 · DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002468 · Published: May 31, 2016
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition with limited effective treatments. Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) are promising for cell transplantation due to their regenerative properties. This study assessed the effectiveness of OEC transplantation for locomotor recovery after experimental SCI using a meta-analysis of preclinical studies. The research showed OEC transplantation significantly improved neurological recovery in animal models of SCI and identified factors influencing the effectiveness of the procedure.
The study suggests more effective OEC transplantation paradigms, such as using olfactory bulb-derived OECs and injecting them into rostral-caudal parenchyma.
The data justify OECs as a cellular substrate to develop and optimize minimally invasive and safe cellular transplantation paradigms for the lesioned spinal cord.
Long-term safety in human SCI needs to be integrated in a benefit–risk ratio calculation.