Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) is an heterogenous fraction containing a small population of multipotent cells. BMMC are good candidates for cell therapy because of their convenient isolation protocol, high yield and survival rate after transplantation and low immunogenicity.
We have demonstrated the spontaneous migration of endogenous CD34+ multipotent cells both in a reversible and irreversible model of Wallerian Degeneration. The aim of the present work is to evaluate systemic transplantation or endogenous mobilization of BMMC as a potential therapy for different sciatic nerve injuries. For this, adult rats were submitted to different experimental models of sciatic nerve damage and morphological, functional and pain behavior parameters were evaluated. In all these models BMMC migrated exclusively to the injured nerve and were able to prevent or revert the neuropathic pain associated to the injury. BMMC also demonstrated beneficial effects in terms of morphology, compound muscle action potential and sciatic functional index. These effects can be potentiated with combination of BMMC with magnetic nanoparticles.
Pharmacological stimulation of endogenous CD34+ cell migration through AMD3100 also demonstrated a recovery in myelin protein organization in terms of MBP and PMP22, 7 days post injury.
These results encourage us to propose BMMC systemic transplant or pharmacological mobilization as a promising strategy for the treatment of acquired peripheral neuropathies.