For the first time in the world: Researchers from the Purple Center for Regenerative Biotechnology at Tel Aviv University were able to engineer a three-dimensional human spinal cord and implant it in model animals that suffered from chronic paralysis. About 80% of the transplanted mice returned to walking, and the results of the study were published today (Monday) in the prestigious journal Advanced Science.
The researchers are preparing for the next phase of the study – clinical trials in humans. The goal is to succeed within a few years in producing a human backbone that will allow paralyzed people to get back on their feet.
The breakthrough in the research was led by Prof. Tal Dvir’s research group, from the Purple Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, the Shmonis School of Biomedical and Cancer Research and the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Tel Aviv University. Prof. Dvir’s laboratory staff included doctoral student Lior Wertheim. , And researchers Dr. Reuven Edri and Dr. Jonah Goldschmidt.
The research was assisted, among others, by Prof. Irit Gat-Vix, also from the Shmonis School of Biomedical Research and Cancer Research, and Prof. Yaniv Assaf from the Purple School of Neuroscience, and Dr. Angela Ruben from the School of Health Sciences S. Steyer, all from Tel Aviv University.
Research conducted at Tel Aviv University (Photo: Tel Aviv University)
“The technology is based on taking a small biopsy of abdominal adipose tissue from the patient,” explained Prof. Dvir. “Like any tissue in our body, this tissue is made up of cells and extracellular material, like collagen and sugars. We separated the cells from the extracellular material, and in genetic engineering we returned the cells to a state similar to embryonic stem cells – that is, cells that can become all cells. At the same time, we made from the extracellular material a customized gel for the patient, so as not to provoke an immune response and rejection of the implant after the transplant. “Dimensions of neural networks that contain motor neurons.”
The human spinal cord implants were implanted by Prof. Dvir and his team in model animals that suffered from paralysis. The animals were divided into two groups: model animals that suffer from relatively short-term paralysis (the acute model) and model animals that suffer from prolonged paralysis, a time corresponding to an entire year in human life (the chronic model). After transplantation, 100% of the mice that suffered from acute paralysis and 80% of the mice that suffered from chronic paralysis returned to walking.
“The animals underwent a rapid rehabilitation process, which in the end went very well,” says Prof. Dvir. “Spine is completely human in mice, and our ambition is, of course, to implant human implants in humans.”
“It should be understood that there are millions of people in the world paralyzed as a result of spinal cord injuries – and they have no existing treatment. Those people who were injured at a very young age will have to sit in a wheelchair until their last day, with all the health, social and economic costs of paralysis. Spinal cord is customized for each paralyzed and paralyzed, transplant them, and cause repair of the damaged tissue without fear of rejection. ”
Based on the revolutionary technology for organ engineering developed in the laboratory, the company Matricelf (matricelf.com) was established in 2019, which already manufactures the human spinal cord implants and will be implanted in the paralyzed.
Prof. Dvir, head of the Purple Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, concludes: “We aim to reach clinical trials in humans within a few years, with the aim of getting those people on their feet. The company’s preclinical program has already been discussed with the FDA. “And since the paralyzed patients do not currently have a treatment alternative, there is a reasonable chance that the technology will be approved relatively quickly.”