Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells as a source of neural progenitors

Abstract

Methods are provided for treating and/or reducing the severity of multiple sclerosis in a human, by administering autologous mesenchymal stem cell-derived neural precursors. Also described is an in vitro method for differentiating mesenchymal stem-cell derived neural precursor oligodengroglial and neuronal cell types.

1 . A method for treating and/or reducing the severity of multiple sclerosis in a human, comprising administering autologous mesenchymal stem cell-derived neural precursors to a patient in need thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. preparing an autologous growth serum obtained from the patient;   b. collecting bone marrow derived stem cells from a patient to be treated by said method;   c. isolating and expanding bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the growth serum;   d. culturing and isolating mesenchymal stem cell-derived neural precursor cells from the mesenchymal stem cells; and   e. intrathecally administering said autologous mesenchymal stem cell-derived neural precursors to said patient.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the autologous growth serum comprises a basal media for expanding the mesenchymal stem cells. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mesenchymal stem cell-derived neural precursors are cultured in neural progenitor maintenance media. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the mesenchymal stem cell-derived neural precursors include Nestin+ cells. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the mesenchymal stem cell-derived neural precursors exhibit an increased amount of Nestin, neurofilament and GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) markers and a decreased amount of Vimentin marker. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said autologous mesenchymal stem cell-derived neural precursors are administered via intrathecal injection at three-month intervals over a course of nine months. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein approximately 10 million mesenchymal stem cell-derived precursors are injected at each administration. 
     
     
         9 - 15 . (canceled)