Tendinitis of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is a significant cause of lameness in horses; however, recent studies have shown that stem cells could be useful in veterinary regenerative medicine. Therefore, we isolated and characterized equine umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (eUCB-MSCs) from equine umbilical cord blood obtained from thoroughbred mares during the foaling period. Horses that had tendinitis of the SDFT were treated with eUCB-MSCs to confirm the therapeutic effect. After eUCB-MSCs transplantation, the core lesion in the SDFT was found to decrease. These results suggest that transplantation using eUCB-MSCs could be another source of cell treatment.
Animals ; *Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation/veterinary ; Horse Diseases/*surgery ; Horses ; Male ; Tendinopathy/surgery/*veterinary

In this study, we evaluated if the implantation of allogenic adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) improved neurological function in a canine spinal cord injury model. Eleven adult dogs were assigned to three groups according to treatment after spinal cord injury by epidural balloon compression: C group (no ASCs treatment as control), V group (vehicle treatment with PBS), and ASC group (ASCs treatment). ASCs or vehicle were injected directly into the injured site 1 week after spinal cord injury. Pelvic limb function after transplantation was evaluated by Olby score. Magnetic resonance imaging, somatosensory evoked potential (SEP), histopathologic and immunohistichemical examinations were also performed. Olby scores in the ASC group increased from 2 weeks after transplantation and were significantly higher than C and V groups until 8 weeks (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the C and V groups. Nerve conduction velocity based on SEP was significantly improved in the ASC group compared to C and V groups (p < 0.05). Positive areas for Luxol fast blue staining were located at the injured site in the ASC group. Also, GFAP, Tuj-1 and NF160 were observed immunohistochemically in cells derived from implanted ASCs. These results suggested that improvement in neurological function by the transplantation of ASCs in dogs with spinal cord injury may be partially due to the neural differentiation of implanted stem cells.
Adipose Tissue/*cytology ; Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Dog Diseases/pathology/*therapy ; Dogs ; Neurons/*cytology ; Spinal Cord Injuries/therapy/*veterinary ; Stem Cell Transplantation/*veterinary ; Stem Cells/*cytology/physiology

OBJECTIVETo explore the possibility of Schwann cells transplantation to promote the repair of injured brain stem reticular structure in rats.

METHODSSchwann cells originated from sciatic nerves of 1 to 2-day-old rats were expanded and labelled by BrdU in vitro, transplanted into rat brain stem reticular structure that was pre-injured by electric needle stimulus. Immunohistochemistry and myelin-staining were used to investigate the expression of BrdU, GAP-43 and new myelination respectively.

RESULTSBrdU positive cells could be identified for up to 8 months and their number increased by about 23%, which mainly migrated toward injured ipsilateral cortex. The GAP-43 expression reached its peak in 1 month after transplantation and was significantly higher than that in the control group. New myelination could be seen in destructed brain stem areas.

CONCLUSIONThe transplantation of Schwann cells can promote the restoration of injured brain stem reticular structure.

Animals ; Antimetabolites ; Brain Injuries ; therapy ; veterinary ; Brain Stem ; injuries ; Bromodeoxyuridine ; Cell Transplantation ; methods ; veterinary ; Electrophysiology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Schwann Cells ; transplantation

This study was to determine the effects of allogenicumbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived mesenchymal stemcells (MSCs) and recombinant methionyl humangranulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rmhGCSF) on acanine spinal cord injury model after balloon compressionat the first lumbar vertebra. Twenty-five adult mongreldogs were assigned to five groups according to treatmentafter a spinal cord injury: no treatment (CN); salinetreatment (CP); rmhGCSF treatment (G); UCB-MSCstreatment (UCB-MSC); co-treatment (UCBG). The UCB-MSCs isolated from cord blood of canine fetuses wereprepared as 10(6) cells/150microl saline. The UCB-MSCs weredirectly injected into the injured site of the spinal cord andrmhGCSF was administered subcutaneously 1 week afterthe induction of spinal cord injury. The Olby score,magnetic resonance imaging, somatosensory evokedpotentials and histopathological examinations were used toevaluate the functional recovery after transplantation. TheOlby scores of all groups were zero at the 0-week evaluation.At 2 week after the transplantation, the Olby scores in thegroups with the UCB-MSC and UCBG were significantlyhigher than in the CN and CP groups. However, there wereno significant differences between the UCB-MSC andUCBG groups, and between the CN and CP groups. Thesecomparisons remained stable at 4 and 8 week aftertransplantation. There was significant improvement in thenerve conduction velocity based on the somatosensory evokedpotentials. In addition, a distinct structural consistency ofthe nerve cell bodies was noted in the lesion of the spinalcord of the UCB-MSC and UCBG groups. These resultssuggest that transplantation of the UCB-MSCs resulted inrecovery of nerve function in dogs with a spinal cord injuryand may be considered as a therapeutic modality for spinalcord injury.
Animals ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation/methods/*veterinary ; Dog Diseases/pathology/*therapy ; Dogs ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory/physiology ; Histocytochemistry/veterinary ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/veterinary ; Random Allocation ; Spinal Cord Injuries/pathology/therapy/*veterinary ; Videotape Recording

Thirty-four dogs with no deep pain perception due to acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease underwent decompression surgery within 1 week of diagnosis. All dogs underwent hemilaminectomy. Adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) were transplanted into the injured spinal cord parenchyma for the AD-MSCs transplant dogs. Long-term outcome was evaluated at the end of the follow-up period (> 6 months). AD-MSCs combination treatment showed better recovery outcomes compared to decompression surgery alone. These results indicate that this stem cell therapy is a potential therapeutic strategy to overcome the limitations of treatment for spinal cord injury in clinical medicine.
Acute Disease ; Adipose Tissue/cytology ; Animals ; Decompression, Surgical/veterinary ; Dog Diseases/*therapy ; Dogs ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/therapy/*veterinary ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/therapy/*veterinary ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/*veterinary ; Pain Perception ; Treatment Outcome

The use of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells for cell transplantation therapy holds great promise for repairing spinal cord injury. Here we report the first clinical trial transplantation of human umbilical cord (hUCB)-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the spinal cord of a dog suspected to have fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy (FCEM) and that experienced a loss of deep pain sensation. Locomotor functions improved following transplantation in a dog. Based on our findings, we suggest that transplantation of hUCB-derived MSCs will have beneficial therapeutic effects on FCEM patients lacking deep pain sensation.
Animals ; Cartilage Diseases/etiology/therapy/*veterinary ; *Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation/veterinary ; Dog Diseases/etiology/*therapy ; Dogs ; Embolism/etiology/therapy/*veterinary ; Female ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells/cytology/*metabolism ; Spinal Cord Diseases/etiology/therapy/*veterinary ; Treatment Outcome

Corneal injury is very common clinical condition in veterinary medicine and delayed or incomplete corneal healing has the potential of vision loss due to the loss of corneal transparency. For the reconstruction of corneal epithelium, tissue graft and cell transplantation have been prosperously investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical value and short-term safety of application of cultured allogenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the treatment of canine experimental corneal defect. Corneal defects were surgically generated in the central corneas of healthy beagle dogs and cultured canine allogenic MSCs were transplanted via subconjunctival injection. Although mean healing time, the rate of epithelial regeneration, and the degree of corneal transparency were not significantly improved after MSC transplantation, significant immune reaction or incompatibility reaction was not detected except transient local irritation. These results propose the possibility of MSC application as a new regenerative medicine in canine ocular disorders.
Animals ; Cell Transplantation ; Cornea ; Dogs ; Epithelium, Corneal ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Regeneration ; Regenerative Medicine ; Transplants ; Veterinary Medicine ; Vision, Ocular