Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Fenzan Wu, Penghui Wang, Xiaojie Wei, Yanhong Yang, Abdullah Al Mamun, Xie Zhang, Yunsen Zhu, Tingting Mo, Hongyu Zhang, Chang Jiang, Jie Hu, Jian Xiao
Summary: This study developed a dual-targeting liposome for delivering bFGF to treat spinal cord injury (SCI), with the ability to target the injury lesion and penetrate the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB). The results showed that the dual-targeted liposomes could effectively cross the BSCB and accumulate at the injury site. Continuous treatment with the liposomes promoted BSCB repair, facilitated M2 polarization of macrophages, enhanced angiogenesis, and improved motor function in SCI rats.
MATERIALS TODAY BIO
(2023)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Asif Razee, Somanshu Banerjee, Jason Hong, Shino Magaki, Greg Fishbein, Olujimi A. Ajijola, Soban Umar
Summary: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with aberrant sympathoexcitation and neuroinflammation. Increased cardiopulmonary afferent signaling and spinal cord neuroinflammation contribute to sympathoexcitation in PH. Inhibition of spinal cord neuroinflammation improves PH and right ventricular failure (RVF).
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Wenli He, Chunying Shi, Jia Yin, Feifei Huang, Wenjing Yan, Jin Deng, Bing Zhang, Bin Wang, Haiping Wang
Summary: Spinal cord injury leads to irreversible damage of sensory and motor function, but current treatments fail to provide an optimal environment for cell repair. This study introduces a novel biomaterial that successfully creates a suitable environment for promoting cell proliferation and differentiation, resulting in significant improvement in motor function recovery for spinal cord injury.
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH PART B-APPLIED BIOMATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tetsu Kimura, Yuta Horikoshi, Chika Kuriyagawa, Yukitoshi Niiyama
Summary: Ischemic strokes (IS) and spinal cord injuries (SCI) are major causes of disability. The up-regulation of the RhoA/ROCK pathway contributes to neuronal apoptosis, neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, astrogliosis, and axon growth inhibition in IS and SCI. Inhibiting the Rho/ROCK pathway with miRNAs alleviates apoptosis, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and axon growth inhibition in IS and SCI. Further studies are required to explore the significance of ncRNAs in IS and SCI and to establish new strategies for preventing and treating these devastating diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Feng Lin, Yixuan Liu, Wenqi Luo, Shuhan Liu, Yiming Wang, Rui Gu, Wanguo Liu, Chunsheng Xiao
Summary: This study describes the design, synthesis, release kinetics, biosafety, and preclinical efficacy of MC-PαLA-MP NPs for the combined anti-inflammatory treatment of TSCI. The NPs showed the ability to mitigate secondary inflammation and preserve motor function following TSCI, suggesting their potential for clinical application.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NANOMEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Feifei Huang, Tianyun Gao, Wenqing Wang, Liudi Wang, Yuanyuan Xie, Chenxun Tai, Shuo Liu, Yi Cui, Bin Wang
Summary: The study showed that bFGF-overexpressing HUCMSCs met clinical safety standards and significantly improved therapeutic outcomes in a mouse SCI model. This included reducing glial scar formation, enhancing nerve regeneration and NSC proliferation, and improving locomotion function recovery. Additionally, bFGF-overexpressing HUCMSCs promoted NSC proliferation and neuronal differentiation in vitro through the PI3K-Akt-GSK-3 beta pathway, supporting the safety and efficacy of gene-modified MSCs for clinical use.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zin Z. Khaing, Jessica Y. Chen, Gevick Safarians, Sohib Ezubeik, Nicolas Pedroncelli, Rebecca D. Duquette, Tobias Prasse, Stephanie K. Seidlits
Summary: Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to loss of sensory and motor function, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. There are currently no available therapies for repairing spinal cord tissue. This review focuses on clinical trials of neuroprotective therapeutics that aim to mitigate secondary injury during the acute and subacute phases of SCI, including surgical interventions, pharmacological agents, and cell-based therapies. Combinatorial therapies and relevant considerations are also summarized.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yi Li, Liangliang Yang, Fei Hu, Ji Xu, Junsong Ye, Shuhua Liu, Lifeng Wang, Ming Zhuo, Bing Ran, Hongyu Zhang, Junming Ye, Jian Xiao
Summary: This study presents a promising bioactive system for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) by immobilizing umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSC) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in extracellular matrix (ECM) and heparin-poloxamer (HP). The results show that this system has therapeutic effects in reducing apoptosis and improving mitochondrial function, and it activates PAK1 and SIRT4 to protect against SCI.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Jile Xie, Jiaying Li, Jinjin Ma, Meimei Li, Xingran Wang, Xinya Fu, Yanxia Ma, Huilin Yang, Bin Li, Saijilafu
Summary: Due to the limited regenerative ability of the central nervous system, effective treatments for spinal cord injury have been lacking. The study found that a MgO/PLCL scaffold loaded with PUR and RA can reduce glial scar formation and promote neuronal differentiation of endogenous NSCs, leading to partial recovery of locomotor function in SCI mice.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Diane Cleydes Baia da Silva, Leonardo Oliveira Bittencourt, Daiane Claydes Baia-da-Silva, Victoria Santos Chemelo, Luciana Eiro-Quirino, Priscila Cunha Nascimento, Marcia Cristina Freitas Silva, Marco Aurelio M. Freire, Walace Gomes-Leal, Maria Elena Crespo-Lopez, Rafael Rodrigues Lima
Summary: This study investigated the effects of maternal exposure to methylmercury during gestation and lactation on the spinal cord of offspring. The results showed that methylmercury exposure led to an increase in blood mercury levels and a decrease in motor neurons and myelin basic protein expression in the developing spinal cord. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of methylmercury intoxication in both young and adult rats.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Wenzhao Wang, Dong He, Jianan Chen, Zhengdong Zhang, Shaoyi Wang, Yunpeng Jiang, Jianlu Wei
Summary: A novel circRNA, named CircPlek, was identified with increased expression in spinal tissues after SCI, potentially involving a regulatory relationship with miR-135b-5p and TGF-β R1. Experimental results showed that the CircPlek/miR-135b-5p/TGF-β R1 axis may play an important role in controlling the pathogenesis of SCI.
Article
Cell Biology
Esther Giraldo, Pablo Bonilla, Mara Mellado, Pablo Garcia-Manau, Carlota Rodo, Ana Alastrue, Eric Lopez, Elena Carreras Moratonas, Ferran Pellise, Snezana Dordevic, Maria J. Vicent, Victoria Moreno Manzano
Summary: Neural precursor cell transplantation is a promising therapy for spinal cord injuries, but its clinical translation remains challenging. A study found that priming human-fetal-spinal-cord-derived NPCs with PGA-SS-FAS improved neuronal differentiation and enhanced migration and survival of transplanted cells in the spinal cord.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Sung Huang Laurent Tsai, Chun-Ru Lin, Shih-Chieh Shao, Chao-Hua Fang, Tsai-Sheng Fu, Tung-Yi Lin, Yu-Chiang Hung
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of cannabinoids for pain reduction in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients through a systematic review and meta-analysis. The findings suggest that cannabinoids may not provide significant pain relief for SCI patients and may increase the likelihood of adverse events.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anesthesiology
Cormac Francis Mullins, Jonathan Royds, Adnan Al-Kaisy
Summary: This study examined the occurrence and factors associated with radiographic lead migration during percutaneous SCS trials and found that 50% of leads experienced significant migration. However, this migration was not found to impact trial success.
REGIONAL ANESTHESIA AND PAIN MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Lucie Bourguignon, Bobo Tong, Fred Geisler, Martin Schubert, Frank Rohrich, Marion Saur, Norbert Weidner, Rudiger Rupp, Yorck-Bernhard B. Kalke, Rainer Abel, Doris Maier, Lukas Grassner, Harvinder S. Chhabra, Thomas Liebscher, Jacquelyn J. Cragg, John Kramer, Armin Curt, Catherine R. Jutzeler
Summary: Despite changes in the epidemiological characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injury, neurological and functional recovery has remained stable over the last two decades. This study provides an important resource for informing clinical practice and implementing new clinical trials.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Scott L. Zuckerman, Meghan Cerpa, Lawrence G. Lenke, Christopher Shaffrey, Leah Y. Carreon, Kenneth M. C. Cheung, Michael P. Kelly, Michael G. Fehlings, Christopher P. Ames, Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, Mark B. Dekutoski, Khaled M. Kabeaish, Stephen J. Lewis, Yukihiro Matsuyama, Ferran Pellise, Yong Qiu, Frank J. Schwab, Justin S. Smith
Summary: After complex ASD surgery, significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were observed at the 5-year follow-up. However, no significant changes in PROs were seen during the 2 to 5-year postoperative period. Patients with major surgery-related complications showed similar PROs and proportion of patients achieving MCID compared to those without such complications.
GLOBAL SPINE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Dimitri Tkatschenko, Sonja Hansen, Julia Koch, Christopher Ames, Michael G. Fehlings, Sigurd Berven, Lali Sekhon, Christopher Shaffrey, Justin S. Smith, Robert Hart, Han Jo Kim, Jeffrey Wang, Yoon Ha, Kenny Kwan, Yong Hai, Marcelo Valacco, Asdrubal Falavigna, Nestor Taboada, Alfredo Guiroy, Juan Emmerich, Bernhard Meyer, Frank Kandziora, Claudius Thome, Markus Loibl, Wilco Peul, Alessandro Gasbarrini, Ibrahim Obeid, Martin Gehrchen, Andrej Trampuz, Peter Vajkoczy, Julia Onken
Summary: This study provides an international overview of the heterogeneity of surgical site infection prevention strategies in spine surgery. The results demonstrate a significant variation in pre-, peri-, and postoperative measures to prevent surgical site infection. There is a need for developing universal guidelines and testing areas of controversy in prospective clinical trials.
GLOBAL SPINE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Laureen D. Hachem, Mary Zhu, Bizhan Aarabi, Benjamin Davies, Anthony DiGiorgio, Nathan Evaniew, Michael G. Fehlings, Mario Ganau, Daniel Graves, James Guest, Yoon Ha, James Harrop, Christopher Hofstetter, Paul Koljonen, Shekar Kurpad, Rex Marco, Allan R. Martin, Narihito Nagoshi, Aria Nouri, Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar, Ricardo Rodrigues-Pinto, Valerie Ter Wengel, Lindsay Tetreault, Brian Kwon, Jefferson R. Wilson
Summary: This study aims to assess current practice patterns in the management of cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) and develop a simplified, practical classification system. The results show that spinal stability, cord compression, and neurological status are the most important factors influencing surgeons' decisions in the surgical management of cervical SCI.
GLOBAL SPINE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Neda Naghdi, James M. Elliott, Michael H. Weber, Michael G. Fehlings, Maryse Fortin
Summary: The study found that greater fatty infiltration and asymmetry of the deep cervical muscles in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy were associated with increased maximum spinal cord compression and canal compromise. Additionally, there was a negative association between muscle asymmetry and Neck Disability Index scores.
GLOBAL SPINE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Alexander C. Disch, Stefano Boriani, Aron Lazary, Laurence D. Rhines, Alessandro Luzzati, Ziya L. Gokaslan, Charles G. Fisher, Michael G. Fehlings, Michelle J. Clarke, Dean Chou, Nicole M. Germscheid, Klaus-Dieter Schaser, Jeremy J. Reynolds
Summary: Compared to secondary lesions, primary spinal tumors are rare. The effect of different resection strategies on local recurrence and survival in patients with benign primary spinal tumors under the age of 25 was studied. The results showed no correlation between the grade of aggressiveness in resection and local recurrence rates in this younger patient cohort. The most common tumors in young patients were osteoblastomas, osteoid osteomas, and aneurysmal bone cysts.
Article
Oncology
Alexander C. Disch, Stefano Boriani, Alessandro Luzzati, Laurence D. Rhines, Charles G. Fisher, Aron Lazary, Ziya L. Gokaslan, Dean Chou, Michelle J. Clarke, Michael G. Fehlings, Klaus-Dieter Schaser, Nicole M. Germscheid, Jeremy J. Reynolds
Summary: Extradural primary malignant spinal tumors in young patients are rare. This study reports the clinical outcomes of young patients who underwent surgery for these tumors. The results show that surgery, combined with adjuvant therapy, can achieve better overall survival and low local recurrence rates.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Raymond Wong, Nader Hejrati, Michael G. G. Fehlings
Summary: This article discusses several key challenges that clinical investigators evaluating novel therapeutic strategies to treat traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) may face, and proposes potential solutions, including patient recruitment, patient follow-up, heterogeneity of patients, complex pathophysiology of SCI, capturing treatment effects, high costs, implementation of guidelines, demographic shifts, and navigating regulatory bodies.
EXPERT REVIEW OF NEUROTHERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Katarzyna Pieczonka, Michael G. Fehlings
Summary: Spinal cord injury (SCI) has a significant impact on quality of life and finances. Neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) transplantation shows promise for spinal cord regeneration, but the integration of transplanted cells remains a challenge. This review proposes various techniques, including molecular cues and alternative methods, to guide the integration of grafted cells towards specific circuits. Future research in these areas may improve outcomes for SCI patients.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Katarzyna Pieczonka, Mohamad Khazaei, Michael G. G. Fehlings
Summary: In this study, the expression of Olig2 transcription factor was induced in tripotent neural progenitor cells (NPCs), leading to a significantly higher proportion of differentiated oligodendrocytes compared to NPCs. The induction of Olig2 was also associated with the upregulation of genes involved in oligodendrocyte development and function, and the downregulation of genes involved in other cell lineages. GO and GSEA analyses further confirmed the oligodendrocyte specification of the induced NPCs.
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Katarzyna Pieczonka, Hiroaki Nakashima, Narihito Nagoshi, Kazuya Yokota, James Hong, Anna Badner, Jonathon C. T. Chio, Shinsuke Shibata, Mohamad Khazaei, Michael G. Fehlings
Summary: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes the loss of neurons and glial cells. Current interventions for SCI lack regenerative solutions. Neural stem/progenitor cell (NPC) transplantation is a promising strategy for regeneration but inconsistent differentiation hinders functional recovery. This study generated oligodendrogenically biased NPCs (oNPCs) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and demonstrated their effectiveness in a rodent model of cervical SCI, showing enhanced tissue preservation, remyelination, and functional recovery without adverse effects. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of oNPCs in cervical SCI and call for further investigation to optimize this approach.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
Nisaharan Srikandarajah, Mohammed Ali Alvi, Michael G. Fehlings
Summary: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious disorder that leads to neurological impairment and disability, affecting the quality of life for patients. The pathophysiology involves primary and secondary phases, causing neurological damage. Current clinical management focuses on early decompressive surgery, optimizing arterial pressure, steroid therapy, and rehabilitation. Emerging therapies aim to repair the spinal cord through cell-based, gene, pharmacological, and neuromodulation approaches. Addressing both primary and secondary phases of SCI can enhance outcomes for patients.
JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDICS
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Ayesha Quddusi, Karlo M. M. Pedro, Mohammed Ali Alvi, Nader Hejrati, Michael G. G. Fehlings
Summary: Acute traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI) is a severe event with global impact on morbidity and mortality. Early surgical intervention within 24 hours has been shown to improve prognosis and functional outcomes. This review explores the evidence, nuances, and challenges associated with timing of surgery, as well as the barriers to early surgical care for tSCI.
ACTA NEUROCHIRURGICA
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Nader Hejrati, Karlo Pedro, Mohammed Ali Alvi, Ayesha Quddusi, Michael G. Fehlings
Summary: Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) includes age-related and genetically associated pathologies affecting the cervical spine. The RECODE-DCM consensus group has identified ten priority areas for translational research to improve the management and treatment of DCM. This article summarizes recent advancements in the field, including a refined definition, understanding of pathophysiology, assessment and diagnosis methods, treatment modalities, and genetic research opportunities.
ACTA NEUROCHIRURGICA
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Roger Wong, Margaret Anne Lovier
Summary: Older adults and people of colour are more vulnerable to COVID-19, and despite higher adherence to mitigation behaviours, minority older adults still have elevated odds of COVID-19. Research is needed to explore potential mechanisms for this disparity.
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Amr H. Saleh, Nardin Samuel, Kyle Juraschka, Mohammad H. Saleh, Michael D. Taylor, Michael G. Fehlings
Summary: This review discusses important biological features of ependymomas, including subgroup categorization and clinical implications, oncogenic and tumor suppressor signaling pathways, epigenetic dysregulation, as well as the limitations of current therapies and potential next-generation treatments.
NATURE REVIEWS CANCER
(2022)