Humoral Influence of Repeated Lineage-Negative Stem/Progenitor Cell Administration on Articulatory Functions in ALS Patients

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains a fatal, neurodegenerative disease frequently leading to dysarthria and impaired swallowing. Better understanding of ALS pathophysiology is prompting the use of humoral cell therapies. Hence, a repeated cellular therapy was applied to ALS patients as an attempt to prevent speech deterioration. Autologous bone marrow-derived lineage-negative (Lin(−)) cells were intrathecally administered three times at six-week intervals to 42 sporadic ALS patients. Patients were examined for articulatory functions using subjective (VHI) and objective (FDA) scales. Selected trophic, proinflammatory factors and expression profiles of miRNA were measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma by multiplex Luminex and q-PCR in different timepoints. Of the 42 patients who received the Lin(−) cells, 6 showed improvement in articulatory functions, 27 remained stable, and 9 deteriorated after 18 weeks of therapy according to FDA scale. Clinical improvement was particularly evident by the 7(th) day of each cell application and concerned better cough and swallow reflex, soft palate, laryngeal time, pitch, and volume. These results correlated with significant changes in the concentration of various trophic and proinflammatory factors and miRNA expression profiles. A multiple application of Lin(−) cells proved to be safe and feasible. The repeated procedure can potentate a humoral effect and prevent speech deterioration. A short-lasting trophic effect of each Lin(−) cells administration was observed on local and systemic level. However, further in-depth studies are necessary to sustain the beneficial effect.