IMPLANTATION OF STIMULATED HOMOLOGOUS MACROPHAGES RESULTS IN PARTIAL RECOVERY OF PARAPLEGIC RATS

Citation
O. Rapalino et al., IMPLANTATION OF STIMULATED HOMOLOGOUS MACROPHAGES RESULTS IN PARTIAL RECOVERY OF PARAPLEGIC RATS, Nature medicine, 4(7), 1998, pp. 814-821
Citations number
54
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, Research & Experimental",Biology,"Cell Biology
Journal title
ISSN journal
1078-8956
Volume
4
Issue
7
Year of publication
1998
Pages
814 - 821
Database
ISI
SICI code
1078-8956(1998)4:7<814:IOSHMR>2.0.ZU;2-2
Abstract
Postinjury recovery in most tissues requires an effective dialog with macrophages; however, in the mammalian central nervous system, this di alog may be restricted (possibly due to its immune-privileged status), which probably contributes to its regeneration failure. We circumvent ed this by implanting macrophages, pre-exposed ex vivo to peripheral n erve segments, into transected rat spinal cord. This stimulated tissue repair and partial recovery of motor function, manifested behaviorall y by movement of hind limbs, plantar placement of the paws and weight support, and electrophysiologically by cortically evoked hind-limb mus cle response. We substantiated these findings immunohistochemically by demonstrating continuity of labeled nerve fibers across the transecte d site, and by tracing descending fibers distally to it by anterograde labeling. In recovered rats, re-transection of the cord above the pri mary transection site led to loss of recovery, indicating the involvem ent of long descending spinal tracts. Injection of macrophages into th e site of injury is relatively non-invasive and, as the cells are auto logous, it may be developed into a clinical therapy.