Developing neural transplant cell sprays for neurological injuries

Abstract

Regeneration of the central nervous system following penetrating traumatic brain injury (pTBI) represents a significant clinical challenge. Neural cell therapies have the potential to promote regeneration in central neural injury. However, such therapy is currently clinically unavailable. Neural cell transplantation methods have significant drawbacks, notably high cell loss during surgical delivery, so have limitations for pTBI treatment. Spray delivery may have benefits including rapid cell administration in a homogenous distribution whilst being minimally invasive and has not yet been tested for neural cell delivery. The hypothesis is that cell spray technology could be utilised for neural transplantation and that this may offer significant advantages over current administration routes.
Additionally, for rapid cell transplantation, no transportation system exists to facilitate remote delivery. Transport media and novel polymer solutions exist for the transport of medical grade tissue however these have not yet been directly tested for neural cell transplant populations. A further hypothesis is that a novel tissue transport or polymer solution could facilitate remote neural cell delivery for transplantation applications.
To test these hypotheses, primary rodent mixed glial cultures were used to generate oligodendrocyte pre-cursor cell (OPC) and astrocyte populations which were spray delivered. Additionally, Hibernate-A a CO2 independent nutrient media was assessed for the storage and transportation potential of OPCs and astrocytes at 4oC and room temperature. Cells were assessed for viability and properties which underpin their therapeutic potential. Both cell types could survive, proliferate, differentiate (OPCs), retain cellular markers and retain normal features following spray delivery and on return to standard culture conditions following low temperature storage. AtelerixTM polymer gel transportation system was also evaluated for encapsulation of neural cells demonstrating the potential for mechanical protection during transit for these therapies.
These findings suggest neural cell transplant populations could be transported without detrimental effects to remote settings (such as a military hospital) and then rapidly spray delivered to patients with pTBI.