SCI Consortium Study: 3D Printed Scaffolds for Primate Spinal Cord Injury Repair

项目概要/摘要 VA为美国约26%的SCI患者提供护理，治疗费用为6.5 倍高于平均退伍军人的治疗费用，有效的治疗方法，以促进恢复 神经功能缺失。我们的总体愿景是创造一种体外组织， 受损的脊髓，甚至在严重损伤的部位形成新的中继电路。我们 使用3D打印仿生支架的广泛啮齿动物工作表明，这种方法可以导致 脊髓完全横断后的电生理和功能恢复，最严重的模型 脊髓损伤 该项目旨在评估3D打印仿生支架的功效， 祖细胞并亚急性植入，在长期临床相关的非人灵长类动物模型中， 颈脊髓挫伤 该项目有两个目标： 1.解剖结局分析-生物相容性、整合、降解、血管化， 宿主轴突再生到支架中，并且神经祖细胞衍生的轴突从支架中长出。 支架进入主机。 2.功能结果分析。将对动物进行右手任务的功能评估 功能，包括Brinkman板、基于家庭笼的机器人操作、前肢和后肢 在开阔场地/运动围栏中使用，以及感觉。 该奖项的成功完成将为支持未来的临床试验提供关键数据， 冲击

Project Summary/Abstract The VA provides care for approximately 26% of individuals with SCI in the U.S. Treatment costs are 6.5 times higher than the cost of treatment of an average Veteran, and effective therapies to promote recovery of neural function are lacking. Our overarching vision is to create an ex-vivo tissue that can replace the damaged spinal cord and enable formation of new relay circuits across sites of even severe injury. Our extensive rodent work with 3D printed biomimetic scaffolds shows that this approach can result in electrophysiological and functional recovery after complete spinal cord transection, the most severe model of spinal cord injury. This project aims to assess the efficacy of 3D printed biomimetic scaffolds, loaded with human neural progenitor cells and implanted sub-acutely, in a long-term clinically relevant, non-human primate model of cervical spinal cord contusion. There are 2 objectives to this project: 1. Analysis of anatomical outcomes - Biocompatibility, integration, degradation, vascularization, host axon regeneration into the scaffold, and neural progenitor cell-derived axon outgrowth from the scaffold into the host. 2. Analysis of functional outcomes. Animals will be functionally assessed on tasks of right-hand function, including Brinkman board, home cage-based robotic manipulation, forelimb and hindlimb use in an open field/exercise enclosure, and sensation. Successful completion of the award will provide key data to support future clinical trials, with resulting high impact.