In a new study by Northwestern University researchers, a single injection into the spinal cords\u2019 surrounding tissue helped paralyzed mice walk after four weeks. The injection sends signals that trigger cells to repair and regenerate in five ways. First, the severed axons are regenerated. Second, scar tissue that prevents regeneration and repair is greatly reduced. Third, myelin is reformed. Next, functioning blood vessels are formed to deliver nutrients to the injury site. Last, additional motor neurons survived. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Samuel I. Stupp, leader of the Northwestern study, says \u201cOur research aims to find a therapy that can prevent individuals from becoming paralyzed after major trauma or disease.\u201d This declaration is revolutionary since for decades scientists have struggled to reverse injuries to the body\u2019s nervous system, as it isn\u2019t very capable of repairing itself after injury or disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As reported by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, approximately 300,000 people in the United States currently have a spinal cord injury. Less than 3% of these people will regain their basic physical functions, and about 30% will be re-hospitalized at least once after their original injury. The life expectancy of those with a spinal cord injury is also remarkably less than those without; this fact has not improved since the 1980s. These statistics drove Stupp to want to look for alternate outcomes for those with spinal cord injuries. According to Stupp, \u201c[At the moment] there are no therapeutics that trigger spinal cord regeneration\u2026[I want] to make a difference on the outcomes of spinal cord injury and to tackle this problem.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stupp planned for the mechanism to \u201ccontrol the collective motion…making the molecules move, ‘dance’ or even leap\u2026[so] they are able to connect more effectively with receptors;\u201d which is exactly what the breakthrough treatment does. This new therapy is an injection that regulates the movement of molecules by helping them find and interact with cellular receptors. To do this, the injection, which is a gel, forms into a network of small fibers imitating the spinal cord\u2019s extracellular matrix allowing the non-natural substances to communicate with cells. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, before Stupp and his team could completely quantify a result, they ran multiple tests. The \u201cfine-tuning\u201d of the motion resulted in some molecules that were quicker than others thus increasing its efficacy in mice. With this new information, they conducted trials with human cells and concluded that the modifying of motion has extremely promising results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the molecule connects to signal receptors, it triggers two critical spinal repair signals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One signal promotes the regeneration of axons. This is important because axons send signals to the body, but when damaged or cleaved, axons can cause a loss of feeling or paralysis in the body. Thus repairing the axons increases intercommunication between the body and brain. The other signal causes other cells to reproduce, advancing the regrowth of blood vessels that provide nutrients to nerve cells and tissue repair cells. This also activates myelin to reconstruct axons\u2019 surroundings and reduce the scarring of cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zaida \u00c1lvarez, the first author of the study and a former research assistant in Stupp\u2019s lab, said, \u201cThe signals used in the study mimic the natural proteins that are needed to induce the desired biological responses,\u201d but also added the entire process is expensive to manufacture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besides Stupp\u2019s hardcore belief that this new treatment can be used to prevent paralysis after traumatic incidents, he also believes that the overriding of molecule motion, or \u201csupramolecular motion,\u201d can be used in other therapies that treat stroke and neurodegenerative diseases, like ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Hypothetically, according to Stupp, since strokes and neurodegenerative diseases have the same nervous system tissue injury as spinal cord injuries, they would both be treated the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Works Cited <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Northwestern University. “\u2018Dancing molecules\u2019 successfully repair severe spinal cord injuries: After single injection, paralyzed animals regained ability to walk within four weeks.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n