Pig Tissue Transplant May Reduce Stroke Damage

In a recent study, researchers put porcine choroids plexus tissue into biocompatible microcapsules and then transplanted these into a rat stroke model, which showed a 65% reduction in the size of the stroke as well as recovery in motor and neurologic function. The findings were reported in the September 2004 issue of Stroke.

The cells of the porcine choroid plexus are similar in size and function to human cells and thus can be used in humans. The tissue secretes brain-nourishing neurotrophic factors. Pig brain tissue has previously been used in humans to treat Parkinson's disease.

The researchers found that while the tissue works well without any capsule, this leads to increased inflammation. The capsules were created by LCTBioPharma, Inc. (Providence, RI, USA). They are designed to allow molecules such as protective neurotrophic factors to escape and keep out inflammatory factors that could trigger an immune response and rejection.

"What we have seen is the reduction of the size of the stroke in the brain, and the animals that received the transplant showed functional recovery in motor as well as neurological function,” said first author Dr. Cesario V. Bolongan, neuroscientist at the Medical College of Georgia (Augusta, USA). "There are different therapies we can combine with this encapsulated therapy, including other substances such as stem cells to help replace brain cells that are lost.”




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Medical College of Georgia