Exogenous adult post mortem neural precursors attenuate secondary degeneration, and promote myelin sparing and functional recovery following experimental spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating clinical condition, characterized by a complex of neurological dysfunctions. Neural stem cells from the subventricular zone of the forebrain have been considered a potential tool for cell replacement therapies. We isolated recently a subclass of neural progenitors from the cadaver of mouse donors. These cells, named Post Mortem Neural Precursor Cells (PM-NPCs), express both erythropoietin and its receptor and their EPO-dependent differentiation abilities produce a significantly higher percentage of neurons than regular NSCs. The cholinergic yield is also higher. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential repair properties of PM-NPCs in a mouse model of traumatic spinal cord injury. Labeled PM-NPCs, were administered intravenously, then the functional recovery and the fate of transplanted cells were studied. Animals transplanted with PM-NPCs showed a remarkable improved recovery of hind limb function that was evaluated up to 90 days after lesion, this was accompanied by reduced myelin loss, counteraction of the invasion of lesion site by the inflammatory cells, and an attenuation of secondary degeneration. PM-NPCs migrate mostly at the injury site, where they survive at a significantly higher extent than classical NSCs. These cells accumulate at the edges of the lesion, where a reach neuropile is formed by MAP-2- and β-tubulin III-positive transplanted cells that are also mostly labeled by anti-ChAT antibodies.