Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41430311›Full record

ArticleStem cell research & therapy2025

Fat-derived neural stem cells promote nerve regeneration following peripheral nerve injury.

Leah C Ott, Aki Kashiwagi, Christopher Y Han, Abigail R Leavitt, Ahmed A Rahman, Charles D Hwang, Alan J Burns, Ryo Hotta, Allan M Goldstein, Rhian Stavely

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Stem cell research & therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Leah C OttDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN, 6100, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Aki KashiwagiDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN, 6100, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Christopher Y HanDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN, 6100, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Abigail R LeavittDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN, 6100, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Ahmed A RahmanDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN, 6100, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Charles D HwangDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Alan J BurnsDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN, 6100, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Ryo HottaDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN, 6100, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Allan M GoldsteinDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN, 6100, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
Rhian StavelyDepartment of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 185 Cambridge Street, CPZN, 6100, Boston, MA, 02114, USA. rstavely@mgh.harvard.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5099-3704

Funding

RESEARCH TRAINING IN ALIMENTARY TRACT SURGERYT32DK007754 · NIDDK · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI HODIN, RICHARD A. · 1997 to 2025
$6.5M
Uncovering the therapeutic potential of adipose tissue derived neural stem cells for Hirschsprung's disease.R21HD106036 · NICHD · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI GOLDSTEIN, ALLAN M, STAVELY, RHIAN · 2022 to 2023
$452k
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development R21HD106036NICHD NIH HHS R21 HD106036NIDDK NIH HHS T32 DK007754NIDDK NIH HHS T32DK007754
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeripheral nerve injuries are associated with significant morbidity, particularly when primary surgical repair is delayed or impossible due to extensive nerve gaps. While advances in biomedical engineering have led to commercially available nerve guidance conduits tailored for such injuries, rates of sensory and motor recovery remain suboptimal following neurotmesis with gap defects beyond 3 cm. Cell therapy represents a promising treatment strategy to heal the injured peripheral nervous system, thought to promote tissue regeneration and enhance endogenous mechanisms of nerve repair to restore functionality. In this study, we explore the potential utility and efficacy of subcutaneous adipose tissue-derived neural stem cells in a nerve transection injury model.

methodsPlp1-EGFP mice, which express GFP in Schwann cells, underwent surgical excision of a 5 mm segment of the left sciatic nerve. Nerves were then immediately repaired using silicone nerve guidance conduits with a residual 5 mm defect between nerve stumps. Conduits were loaded with cell culture media alone or with subcutaneous adipose tissue-derived neural stem cells harvested from Wnt1-tdTomato neural crest reporter mice, the latter enabling cell tracing post-transplantation.

resultsSubcutaneous adipose tissue-derived neural stem cells persisted through postoperative day 56 and contributed structurally to the reformed sciatic nerve. Integration between Wnt1-tdTomato neural stem cells and endogenous Plp1-EGFP Schwann cells occurred at the distal and proximal transection margins. Furthermore, neural stem cells predominantly differentiated into Schwann-like cells following transplantation, aiding in myelination of the reformed nerve, but not undesirable cell types such as neurons. Gait testing indicated that adipose-derived neural stem cells significantly improved hindlimb motor recovery compared to conduit repair alone by postoperative day 56.

conclusionsUsing cell tracer models, we confirm that adipose-derived neural stem cells can be therapeutically delivered to injured peripheral nerves, integrate with recipient axons and Schwann cells, and differentiate into myelinating Schwann-like cells to enhance motor recovery. These findings indicate that subcutaneous adipose tissue-derived neural stem cells could fill a critical gap in the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries, representing a readily available, autologous source of regenerative cells to optimize functional recovery after injury.

Indexed as

Nerve RegenerationNeural Stem CellsPeripheral Nerve InjuriesAnimalsCell DifferentiationMiceSchwann CellsSciatic NerveNerve guidance conduitsPeripheral nerve injurySchwann cellsStem cell therapySubcutaneous adipose tissue

Identifiers

PMID41430311
PMCPMC12723924

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.