Intravenous infusion of adult adipose tissue stem cells for repairing spinal cord ischaemic lesions. An experimental study on animals

Abstract Objective To assess whether a peripheral intravenous infusion of adipose tissue stem cells (ATSC), after an ischaemic spinal cord injury, can promote selective cell migration and cell survival in the damaged neural tissue. Animals and method An ischaemic spinal cord injury was provoked by trapping the abdominal aorta for 20 min in 11 male New Zealand rabbits (2.5 ± 0.5 kg). They were randomised into two groups: one group ( n  = 5) received an intravenous transfusion of 10 ± 2 × 10 6 ATSC at 24 h from the injury, and the control group ( n  = 6) were only given the vehicle. The functional status was assessed, using the Tarlov scale at 24 h, and 7 and 14 days. The animals were sacrificed at 14 days and a histological and immunohistochemical study was performed. Results Complete paraplegia was achieved in both groups. There were no significant differences as regards neurological recovery, which was nil in both cases. In the histological and immunohistochemical study, it was tested to see whether there was any bromodeoxyuridine-marked ATSC in the area of the lesion, but there was only a small amount. Conclusion ATSC are able to migrate and survive in the injured spinal cord after aortic ischaemia after they have been administered intravenously. Intravenous infusion is a harmless procedure with no side effect. No neurological recovery was achieved.