Journal article

Immunoselected STRO-3( ) mesenchymal precursor cells and restoration of the extracellular matrix of degenerate intervertebral discs Laboratory investigation

Peter Ghosh, Robert Moore, Barrie Vernon-Roberts, Tony Goldschlager, Diane Pascoe, Andrew Zannettino, Stan Gronthos, Silviu Itescu

JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY-SPINE | AMER ASSOC NEUROLOGICAL SURGEONS | Published : 2012

Abstract

OBJECT: Chronic low-back pain of discal origin is linked strongly to disc degeneration. Current nonsurgical treatments are palliative and fail to restore the disc extracellular matrix. In this study the authors examined the capacity of ovine mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs) to restore the extracellular matrix of degenerate discs in an ovine model. METHODS: Three adjacent lumbar discs of 24 adult male sheep were injected intradiscally with chondroitinase-ABC (cABC) to initiate disc degeneration. The remaining lumbar discs were used as normal controls. Three months after cABC injection, the L3-4 discs of all animals were injected with either a high dose (4 × 10(6) cells, in 12 sheep) or low ..

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Funding Acknowledgements

Peter Ghosh is the senior vice president for Orthopaedic Research Programs, Mesoblast Ltd. Silviu Itescu is the chief executive officer of Mesoblast Ltd. and a stockholder. Andrew Zannettino is a consultant for Mesoblast Ltd. Tony Goldschlager has received travel support from Mesoblast Ltd. The other authors report that they have no competing financial interests related to this study. This project was financially supported by funds from an Australian government Commercial Ready Grant and Mesoblast Ltd.