It is Time for More Research into Umbilical Cord Stem Cells as a Potential Treatment in Neurological Diseases
Léder Leal Xavier *
Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Carolina Gomes da Silveira Cauduro
Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Bianca Zanette de Albuquerque
Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Pedro Marchiori Cacilhas
Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Fabrizio Loth
Hemocord - Banco de Células-Tronco, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Ana Paula Franco Lambert
Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Pamela Brambilla Bagatini
Hemocord - Banco de Células-Tronco, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Karolyn Sassi Ogliari
Hemocord - Banco de Células-Tronco, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil and Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, USA.
Régis Gemerasca Mestriner
Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Departamento de Ciências Morfofisiológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Umbilical cord stem cells (UCSCs) from newborn individuals have been widely used to treat blood and immune disorders. In recent years, many public and private cord blood banks have preserved UCSCs in the hope of using them to cure diseases, especially neurological conditions. Preclinical studies showed UCSCs have considerable regenerative potential and early clinical investigations demonstrated they are safe and effective. Here, we discuss the characteristics and clinical application of UCSCs as a potential treatment for prevalent neurological disorders, based on published studies and ongoing trials registered in Clinicaltrials.gov. Despite the advantages of UCSCs compared to other stem cell sources, few published randomized and controlled clinical studies have investigated their therapeutic potential in neurological disorders, including cerebral palsy and spinal cord injury, with interesting results. Thus, there is an urgent need for more investigation, such as well-designed, phase II and III randomized and controlled clinical trials.
Keywords: Umbilical cord stem cells, umbilical cord blood, neurological diseases, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury.