Safe and efficient method for cryopreservation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem and progenitor cells by a programmed freezer with a magnetic field

AbstractStem cells represent a potential cellular resource in the development of regenerative medicine approaches to the treatment of pathologies in which specific cells are degenerated or damaged by genetic abnormality, disease, or injury. Securing sufficient supplies of cells suited to the demands of cell transplantation, however, remains challenging, and the establishment of safe and efficient cell banking procedures is an important goal. Cryopreservation allows the storage of stem cells for prolonged time periods while maintaining them in adequate condition for use in clinical settings. Conventional cryopreservation systems include slow-freezing and vitrification both have advantages and disadvantages in terms of cell viability and/or scalability. In the present study, we developed an advanced slow-freezing technique using a programmed freezer with a magnetic field called Cells Alive System (CAS) and examined its effectiveness on human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cells (hiPSC-NS/PCs). This system significantly increased cell viability after thawing and had less impact on cellular proliferation and differentiation. We further found that frozen-thawed hiPSC-NS/PCs were comparable with non-frozen ones at the transcriptome level. Given these findings, we suggest that the CAS is useful for hiPSC-NS/PCs banking for clinical uses involving neural disorders and may open new avenues for future regenerative medicine

My contemporaries in 20^<th> century.

De novo copy number variations (CNVs) identified in the 1210B2 iPSC-derived NSPCs. (XLSX 39 kb

Severity of locomotive syndrome in surgical cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients: a cross-sectional study

journal articl

Advances in Platelet-Rich Plasma Treatment for Spinal Diseases: A Systematic Review

Spinal diseases are commonly associated with pain and neurological symptoms, which negatively impact patients’ quality of life. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous source of multiple growth factors and cytokines, with the potential to promote tissue regeneration. Recently, PRP has been widely used for the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases, including spinal diseases, in clinics. Given the increasing popularity of PRP therapy, this article examines the current literature for basic research and emerging clinical applications of this therapy for treating spinal diseases. First, we review in vitro and in vivo studies, evaluating the potential of PRP in repairing intervertebral disc degeneration, promoting bone union in spinal fusion surgeries, and aiding in neurological recovery from spinal cord injury. Second, we address the clinical applications of PRP in treating degenerative spinal disease, including its analgesic effect on low back pain and radicular pain, as well as accelerating bone union during spinal fusion surgery. Basic research demonstrates the promising regenerative potential of PRP, and clinical studies have reported on the safety and efficacy of PRP therapy for treating several spinal diseases. Nevertheless, further high-quality randomized controlled trials would be required to establish clinical evidence of PRP therapy

Potential Involvement of Oxidative Stress in Ligamentum Flavum Hypertrophy

Oxidative stress (OS) results in many disorders, of which degenerative musculoskeletal conditions are no exception. However, the interaction between OS and ligamentum flavum (LF) hypertrophy in lumbar spinal canal stenosis is not clearly understood. The first research question was whether OS was involved in LF hypertrophy, and the second was whether the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was effective on LF hypertrophy. In total, 47 LF samples were collected from patients with lumbar spinal disorders. The cross-sectional area of LF was measured on axial magnetic resonance imaging. Immunohistochemistry of 8-OHdG and TNF-&alpha; were conducted on human LF samples. A positive association was found between 8-OHdG or TNF-&alpha; expression and cross-sectional area of LF. Flow cytometry analysis showed that H2O2, buthionine sulfoximine, and TNF-&alpha; treatment significantly increased intracellular reactive oxygen species in primary LF cells. NAC inhibited the induction of LF hypertrophy markers by OS or TNF in a real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blotting analysis indicated that p38, Erk, and p65 phosphorylation were involved in intracellular OS signaling in LF cells. In conclusion, our results indicated that OS could be a therapeutic target for LF hypertrophy. Although this study included no in vivo studies to examine the longitudinal efficacy of NAC on LF hypertrophy, NAC may have potential as a therapeutic agent against lumbar spinal canal stenosis

Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma Administration on the Intervertebral Disc in Low Back Pain Patients with Modic Type 1 Change: Report of Two Cases

Background and Objectives: Modic type 1 is known to be associated with lower back pain (LBP), but at present, a treatment has not been fully established. Meanwhile, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been used for tissue regeneration and repair in the clinical setting. There is no clinical PRP injection trial for the intervertebral disc of LBP patients with Modic type 1. Thus, this study aimed to verify PRP injection safety and efficacy in LBP patients with Modic type 1. As a preliminary experiment, two LBP cases with Modic type 1 are presented. Materials and Methods: PRP was administered intradiscally to two LBP patients with Modic type 1. PRP was obtained from the patients’ anticoagulated blood. Primary endpoints were physical condition, laboratory data, and X-ray for safety evaluation. Secondary endpoints were pain scores using the visual analog scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the Roland–Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) to evaluate PRP efficacy. The observation period was 24 weeks after the PRP injection. In addition, changes in Modic type 1 using MRI were evaluated. Results: This study assessed two LBP patients with Modic type 1. There were no adverse events in physical condition, laboratory data, or lumbar X-rays after injection. Follow-up MRI showed a decrease of high signal intensity on T2WI compared to before PRP administration. The pain scores tended to improve after the injection. Conclusions: PRP injection into the intervertebral disc of LBP patients with Modic type 1 might be safe and effective. This analysis will be continued as a prospective study to establish the efficacy

Enhanced Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury in Aged Mice after Stem Cell Transplantation through HGF Induction

The number of elderly patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) is increasing worldwide, representing a serious burden for both the affected patients and the community. Previous studies have demonstrated that neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation is an effective treatment for SCI in young animals. Here we show that NSC transplantation is as effective in aged mice as it is in young mice, even though aged mice exhibit more severe neurological deficits after SCI. NSCs grafted into aged mice exhibited better survival than those grafted into young mice. Furthermore, we show that the neurotrophic factor HGF plays a key role in the enhanced functional recovery after NSC transplantation observed in aged mice with SCI. The unexpected results of the present study suggest that NSC transplantation is a potential therapeutic modality for SCI, even in elderly patients

Pretreatment with a γ-Secretase Inhibitor Prevents Tumor-like Overgrowth in Human iPSC-Derived Transplants for Spinal Cord Injury

Neural stem/progenitor cells (NS/PCs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are considered to be a promising cell source for cell-based interventions that target CNS disorders. We previously reported that transplanting certain hiPSC-NS/PCs in the spinal cord results in tumor-like overgrowth of hiPSC-NS/PCs and subsequent deterioration of motor function. Remnant immature cells should be removed or induced into more mature cell types to avoid adverse effects of hiPSC-NS/PC transplantation. Because Notch signaling plays a role in maintaining NS/PCs, we evaluated the effects of γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) and found that pretreating hiPSC-NS/PCs with GSI promoted neuronal differentiation and maturation in vitro, and GSI pretreatment also reduced the overgrowth of transplanted hiPSC-NS/PCs and inhibited the deterioration of motor function in vivo. These results indicate that pretreatment with hiPSC-NS/PCs decreases the proliferative capacity of transplanted hiPSC-NS/PCs, triggers neuronal commitment, and improves the safety of hiPSC-based approaches in regenerative medicine