Magnetic Field-Based Delivery of Human CD133+ Cells Promotes Functional Recovery After Rat Spinal Cord Injury

Study Design. Experimental animal study of spinal cord injury (SCI), using a cell delivery system. Objective. To investigate the therapeutic effects of transplantation of peripheral blood-derived CD133(+) cells, with a magnetic delivery system in a rat SCI model. Summary of Background Data. There are no reports on intrathecal transplantation of peripheral blood-derived CD133(+) cells, with a magnetic cell delivery system to treat SCI. Methods. Magnetically isolated peripheral blood-derived CD133(+) cells were used as the cell source. Contusion SCI was induced by an Infinite Horizon impactor in athymic nude rats. CD133(+) cells or phosphate-buffered saline was administered via a lumbar puncture immediately after SCI, and a magnetic field was applied to rats for 30 minutes. Animals were analyzed at specific times after transplantation by several methods to examine cell tracking, functional recovery, and histological angiogenesis and neurogenesis. Results. A combination of cell transplantation and application of a magnetic field at the site of injury caused significant functional recovery. Transplantation of the cells alone in the absence of the magnetic field showed no effect beyond that observed in control rats. Conclusion. The combination of intrathecal transplantation of CD133(+) cells and application of a magnetic field at the site of injury is a possible therapeutic strategy to treat rat SCI and may therefore find application in clinical settings.