Intramuscular transplantation of bone marrow cells prolongs the lifespan of SOD1 mice and modulates expression of prognosis biomarkers of the disease.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness, paralysis and death. There is no effective treatment for ALS and stem cell therapy has arisen as a potential therapeutic approach.

Methods: SOD1 mutant mice were used to study the potential neurotrophic effect of bone marrow cells grafted into quadriceps femoris muscle.

Bone marrow transplantation in hindlimb muscles of motoneuron degenerative mice reduces neuronal death and improves motor function.

Bone marrow has proved to be an adequate source of stem cells for the treatment of numerous disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. Bone marrow can be easily and relatively painlessly extracted from a patient or allogenic donor and then transplanted into the degenerative area. Here, the grafted cells will activate a number of mechanisms in order to protect, repair, and/or regenerate the damaged tissue.

Comparative effects between bone marrow and mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in GDNF expression and motor function recovery in a motorneuron degenerative mouse model.

Motorneuron degenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are characterized by the progressive and rapid loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to paralysis and death. GDNF (glial cell line derived neurotrophic factor) has been previously shown to be capable of protecting motor-neurons in ALS animal models although its delivery to the spinal cord after systemic administration is blocked by the blood brain barrier. Thus, it is necessary to develop new neurotrophic approaches to protect these motor neurons from death.