Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2015, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (11): 1841-1845.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.165325

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Autologous mesenchymal stem cells applied on the pressure ulcers had produced a surprising outcome in a severe case of neuromyelitis optica

Adriana Octaviana Dulamea1, 2, #, *, Mirela-Patricia Sirbu-Boeti1, 2, #, Coralia Bleotu3, Denisa Dragu3, Lucia Moldovan4, Ioana Lupescu1, 2,
Giancarlo Comi5   

  1. 1 U.M.F. Carol Davila, 8 Bulevardul Eroii Sanitari, Bucharest, Sector 2, Romania
    2 Department of Neurology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 258 Soseaua Fundeni, Bucharest, Sector 5, Romania
    3 National Virology Institute Stefan S. Nicolau, 285 Mihai Bravu Avenue, Bucharest, Sector 3, PO 77, PO Box 201, Romania
    4 National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, 296 Splaiul Independen?ei, Bucharest, Sector 6, PO Box 17-16, Romania
    5 Universita Vita-Salute San Raffaele, 58 Via Olgettina, Milan, Italy
  • Received:2015-08-26 Online:2015-12-07 Published:2015-12-07
  • Contact: Adriana Octaviana Dulamea, M.D., Ph.D., adrianadulamea@gmail.com.
  • Supported by:

    This work was supported by the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research (Research project: Alternative therapies for major tissue defects 42136/01.10.2008).

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Abstract:

Recent studies provided evidence that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have regenerative potential in cutaneous repair and profound immunomodulatory properties making them a candidate for therapy of neuroimmunologic diseases. Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune, demyelinating
central nervous system disorder characterized by a longitudinally extensive spinal cord lesion. A 46-year-old male diagnosed with NMO had relapses with paraplegia despite treatment and developed two stage IV pressure ulcers (PUs) on his legs. The patient consented for local application of autologous MSCs on PUs. MSCs isolated from the patient’s bone marrow aspirate were multiplied in vitro during three passages and embedded in a tridimensional collagen-rich matrix which was applied on the PUs. Eight days after MSCs application the patient showed a progressive healing of PUs and improvement of disability. Two months later the patient was able to walk 20 m with bilateral assistance and one year later he started to walk without assistance. For 76 months the patient had no relapse and no adverse event was reported. The original method of local application of autologous BM-MSCs contributed to healing of PUs. For 6 years the patient was free of relapses and showed an improvement of disability. The association of cutaneous repair, sustained remission of NMO and improvement of disability might be explained by a promotion/optimization of recovery mechanisms
in the central nervous system even if alternative hypothesis should be considered. Further studies are needed to assess the safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells in NMO treatment.

Key words: neuromyelitis optica, Devic’s syndrome, mesenchymal stem cells, multiple sclerosis, pressure ulcers