↓ Skip to main content

Safety and efficacy of human embryonic stem cell-derived astrocytes following intrathecal transplantation in SOD1G93A and NSG animal models

Overview of attention for article published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy, June 2018
Altmetric Badge

About this Attention Score

  • In the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric
  • One of the highest-scoring outputs from this source (#1 of 2,697)
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age (99th percentile)
  • High Attention Score compared to outputs of the same age and source (99th percentile)

Mentioned by

news
48 news outlets
twitter
10 X users

Citations

dimensions_citation
53 Dimensions

Readers on

mendeley
99 Mendeley
You are seeing a free-to-access but limited selection of the activity Altmetric has collected about this research output. Click here to find out more.
Title
Safety and efficacy of human embryonic stem cell-derived astrocytes following intrathecal transplantation in SOD1G93A and NSG animal models
Published in
Stem Cell Research & Therapy, June 2018
DOI 10.1186/s13287-018-0890-5
Pubmed ID
Authors

Michal Izrael, Shalom Guy Slutsky, Tamar Admoni, Louisa Cohen, Avital Granit, Arik Hasson, Joseph Itskovitz-Eldor, Lena Krush Paker, Graciela Kuperstein, Neta Lavon, Shiran Yehezkel Ionescu, Leonardo Javier Solmesky, Rachel Zaguri, Alina Zhuravlev, Ella Volman, Judith Chebath, Michel Revel

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron (MN) disease characterized by the loss of MNs in the central nervous system. As MNs die, patients progressively lose their ability to control voluntary movements, become paralyzed and eventually die from respiratory/deglutition failure. Despite the selective MN death in ALS, there is growing evidence that malfunctional astrocytes play a crucial role in disease progression. Thus, transplantation of healthy astrocytes may compensate for the diseased astrocytes. We developed a good manufacturing practice-grade protocol for generation of astrocytes from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The first stage of our protocol is derivation of astrocyte progenitor cells (APCs) from hESCs. These APCs can be expanded in large quantities and stored frozen as cell banks. Further differentiation of the APCs yields an enriched population of astrocytes with more than 90% GFAP expression (hES-AS). hES-AS were injected intrathecally into hSOD1G93A transgenic mice and rats to evaluate their therapeutic potential. The safety and biodistribution of hES-AS were evaluated in a 9-month study conducted in immunodeficient NSG mice under good laboratory practice conditions. In vitro, hES-AS possess the activities of functional healthy astrocytes, including glutamate uptake, promotion of axon outgrowth and protection of MNs from oxidative stress. A secretome analysis shows that these hES-AS also secrete several inhibitors of metalloproteases as well as a variety of neuroprotective factors (e.g. TIMP-1, TIMP-2, OPN, MIF and Midkine). Intrathecal injections of the hES-AS into transgenic hSOD1G93A mice and rats significantly delayed disease onset and improved motor performance compared to sham-injected animals. A safety study in immunodeficient mice showed that intrathecal transplantation of hES-AS is safe. Transplanted hES-AS attached to the meninges along the neuroaxis and survived for the entire duration of the study without formation of tumors or teratomas. Cell-injected mice gained similar body weight to the sham-injected group and did not exhibit clinical signs that could be related to the treatment. No differences from the vehicle control were observed in hematological parameters or blood chemistry. Our findings demonstrate the safety and potential therapeutic benefits of intrathecal injection of hES-AS for the treatment of ALS.

X Demographics

X Demographics

The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 10 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 99 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 99 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Ph. D. Student 21 21%
Student > Bachelor 20 20%
Researcher 9 9%
Student > Doctoral Student 8 8%
Student > Master 8 8%
Other 8 8%
Unknown 25 25%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Neuroscience 22 22%
Medicine and Dentistry 16 16%
Agricultural and Biological Sciences 10 10%
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology 10 10%
Engineering 3 3%
Other 6 6%
Unknown 32 32%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 387. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 08 December 2023.
All research outputs
#77,140
of 24,965,047 outputs
Outputs from Stem Cell Research & Therapy
#1
of 2,697 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#1,809
of 335,491 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Stem Cell Research & Therapy
#1
of 72 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 24,965,047 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done particularly well and is in the 99th percentile: it's in the top 5% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 2,697 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.2. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 335,491 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 72 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 99% of its contemporaries.