- Background on NTDs: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe congenital anomalies that lead to prenatal mortality and lifelong morbidity. Current treatments, which involve surgical closure of NTD lesions, offer limited functional recovery.
- Importance of Nerve Regeneration: The report emphasizes that nerve regeneration is crucial for effective NTD therapy.
- Transamniotic BMSC Therapy: The study investigates the potential of transamniotic BMSC therapy during early development to achieve beneficial functional recovery for NTDs. In an ex vivo rat embryonic NTD model, BMSCs introduced into the amniotic cavity migrated into the defective neural tissue.
- Role of Hepatocyte Growth Factor: The hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor c-MET were identified as playing critical roles in guiding the BMSCs to migrate specifically to the NTD lesion.
- Differentiation of BMSCs: In an in vivo rat fetal NTD model, the engrafted BMSCs differentiated into various cell types corresponding to the defective tissue. This includes skin cells and different types of neurons.
- Positive Outcomes: BMSC treatment led to skin repair in fetuses, resulting in a significant reduction in the skin lesion area. Electrophysiological assessments showed improved neural function in BMSC-treated fetuses.
- Advantages of Transamniotic BMSC Administration: The study suggests that transamniotic BMSC administration could be a new and effective therapy for NTDs due to its positive outcomes, ease of operation, and reduced trauma to both the mother and fetus.
- Global Impact of NTDs: NTDs are the second most common congenital anomalies, with 300,000–400,000 babies born with NTDs annually worldwide. While prenatal surgeries have shown some benefits, many individuals with NTDs continue to experience significant neurological challenges after birth.
- Potential of BMSC-based Therapies: BMSC-based therapies are being explored for various neurological disorders. Their advantages include easy isolation, self-renewal capacity, low immunogenicity, and multi-lineage differentiation potential.
- Transamniotic Injection: This method allows for the delivery of stem cells before irreversible damage occurs. The rapid growth of early embryos makes them ideal candidates for stem cell engraftment and differentiation.
Transamniotic mesenchymal stem cell therapy for neural tube defects preserves neural function through lesion-specific engraftment and regeneration Report Summary
Date of report : 2020-07-13