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. 2025 May 5;16(1):226.
doi: 10.1186/s13287-025-04312-7.

Neurological, functional, and quality of life outcomes following combined mesenchymal stem cell and Schwann cell therapy in spinal cord injury: a 9-year experience

Mohammadhosein Akhlaghpasand #  1 , Roozbeh Tavanaei #  1 , Maede Hosseinpoor  1   2 , Maryam Golmohammadi  1 , Ida Mohammadi  1 , Amir Ghaffari Jolfayi  1 , Melika Hosseinpour  1 , Bardia Hajikarimloo  1 , Kaveh Oraii Yazdani  1 , Alireza Zali  1 , Saeed Oraee-Yazdani  3
Affiliations

Neurological, functional, and quality of life outcomes following combined mesenchymal stem cell and Schwann cell therapy in spinal cord injury: a 9-year experience

Mohammadhosein Akhlaghpasand et al. Stem Cell Res Ther. .

Abstract

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) often results in severe disabilities and significant socioeconomic burdens.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects and safety of co-transplantation of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and Schwann cells (SCs) via the intrathecal route in patients with complete spinal cord injury (SCI). The analysis focused on the therapy's impact across various SCI subgroups (cervical vs. thoracolumbar, subacute vs. chronic) and the factors influencing its efficacy.

Methods: This case series evaluated 106 patients with complete SCI treated with combined cell therapy between August 2013 and September 2022, with a one-year follow-up. Safety profiles were assessed, and neurological and functional outcomes were measured using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scores, Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM-III), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) at 6- and 12-month intervals post-injection. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to evaluate factors associated with outcomes.

Results: Significant improvements were observed in ASIA scores (motor, light touch, and pinprick), SCIM-III scores (total and subscales), and WHOQOL-BREF scores after 12 months. These improvements were consistent across subgroups, regardless of injury level or duration. Multiple regression analysis indicated that improvements in ASIA motor scores were associated with injury level, while improvements in SCIM-III total and mobility scores were associated with time since injury and patient age.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates significant neurological, functional, and quality of life improvements following combined cell therapy with autologous MSCs and SCs in patients with complete SCI. Future research should investigate potential synergies with other therapies and conduct comparative efficacy analyses.

Keywords: Mesenchymal stem cell; Schwann cell; Spinal cord injury; Stem cell therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Research ethics and patient consent: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Medical Research at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Approval ID: IR.SBMU.REC.1401.023) on November 13, 2022, under the title “Comparison of the Efficacy of Autograft Bone Marrow Stem Cells and Schwann Cell Transplantation in Patients with Chronic and Subacute Spinal Cord Injuries.” Consent for publication: Before conducting any procedures—including the study intervention, cell culture, and biopsy specimen analysis—written informed consent was obtained from all participants. They were provided with a comprehensive explanation of the study intervention, its experimental nature, the potential associated adverse events (AEs), and were informed that permission had been granted for the publication of all data and images in a scientific article. Conflict of interest: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Neurological (ASIA) and functional (SCIM-III) outcomes over the study period for the overall population and specific subgroups
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Alterations in patients’ quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) throughout the study period, in the overall population and within specific subgroups
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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