Table 2.
Cell therapy for spinal cord injury
| Cells | Microenvironment regulation | Program | Research object | Effectiveness | Safety/Adverse effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autologous mesenchymal stem cell | Secrete nutritional factors, anti-inflammatory, anti-toxic, anti-apoptotic, immune regulation, and promotion of angiogenesis | Oh et al. (Phase III)282 | 16 subjects with traumatic cervical SCI | 2 (12.5%) of the 16 patients showed improvement in motor grade of the upper extremities; no changes were noted in the other 14 patients (87.5%) at the 6-month follow-up | No serious adverse reactions;8 patients experienced mild adverse reactions (paresthesia, muscle stiffness, etc.), and these symptoms were relieved within a few months |
| Autologous human Schwann cell | Secrete nutritional factors, anti-inflammatory, remyelination, regulation of extracellular matrix and inhibition of scar formation | Anderson et al. (Phase I)283 | 6 subjects with subacute thoracic SCI | No change in bladder and bowel control;subjects converted to AIS B had detectable motor evoked potentials in both legs at 6 months and 12 months | No clear indications of adverse events related to nerve harvesting, the cell transplantation process, or the presence of cells in the spinal cord |
| NSI-566 neural stem cell line | Secrete nutritional factors, anti-inflammatory, inhibition of apoptosis and the formation of glial scars. | Curtis et al. (Phase I)284 | 4 subjects with T2-T12 SCI | 3 subjects have improved sensory and motor function;1 subject with no any change, the quality of life scores of all subjects did not change | No immediate or delayed complications; no new spinal cord or soft tissue edema, swelling development, or fluid accumulation after surgery |
| Human neural stem cell | Secrete nutritional factors, anti-inflammatory, inhibition of apoptosis and the formation of glial scars | Levi et al. (Phase II)285 | 31 subjects with chronic cervical SCI | There is a trend of UEMS and GRASSP exercise gains among the treated participants, but the magnitude is below the required clinical efficacy threshold | No new spinal cord injury or new injury was found |
| Umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell | Regulation of inflammation, promotion of pericyte migration, reduction of scar formation, and promotion of axon regeneration | Zhu et al. (Phase I–II)286 | 28 subjects with chronic complete SCI | Some patients’ independence in activities of daily living increased, more than half of the patients resumed walking with or no assistance |
22 patients had adverse events (neuropathic pain, hyperthyroidism, hypertension, and etc.) |
| Autologous olfactory ensheathing cells | Remyelination, nutritional support, neuroprotection, promotion of axon regeneration, regulation of extracellular matrix, promotion of angiogenesis, and inhibition of scar formation | Tabakow et al. (Phase I)287 | 6 subjects with chronic thoracic SCI | Patients undergoing surgery have improved spinal cord transmission and lower extremity muscle activity | No evidence of nerve deterioration, neuropathic pain, nerve infection, or tumor formation |