Method for increasing the viability of cells which are administered to the brain or spinal cord

• US 5,618,531 A
• Filed: 07/13/1993
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: New York University
• Original Assignee: New York University
• Inventors: Cherksey, Bruce D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wityshyn, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dadio, Susan M.
• Application Number:
  US08/091,629
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 435/240.2, 435/240.23, 435/174, 435/176, 435/177, 435/178, 435/179, 435/180, 424/93 R, 424/93.7, 424/93.1
• US Class Current: 424/93.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/00 Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents as cosmetic articles, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. wigs, hair pieces, A41G3/00, A41G5/00; artificial nails A45D31/00; dental prostheses A61C13/00; materials for prostheses A61L27/00; artificial hearts A61M60/00; artificial kidneys A61M1/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 35/30 Nerves; Brain; Eyes; Corneal cells; Cerebrospinal fluid; Neuronal stem cells; Neuronal precursor cells; Glial cells; Oligodendrocytes; Schwann cells; Astroglia; Astrocytes; Choroid plexus; Spinal cord tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/6923 the form being an inorganic particle, e.g. ceramic particles, silica particles, ferrite or synsorb
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 48/00 Medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases; Gene therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0085 Brain, e.g. brain implants; Spinal cord
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/1676 having a drug-free core with discrete complete coating layer containing drug adsorbates of liquid drug formulations on inert powders without simultaneous granulation step A61K9/141; with further drug-free outer coating A61K9/5078; drug conjugated to non-active particles A61K47/6921
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3804 characterised by specific cells or progenitors thereof, e.g. fibroblasts, connective tissue cells, kidney cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3813 Epithelial cells, e.g. keratinocytes, urothelial cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3821 Bone-forming cells, e.g. osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoprogenitor cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/383 Nerve cells, e.g. dendritic cells, Schwann cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3878 Nerve tissue, brain, spinal cord, nerves, dura mater
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2502/08 cells of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2531/00 Microcarriers
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2533/12 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0614 Adrenal gland
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0618 Cells of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0619 Neurons
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0621 Eye cells, e.g. cornea, iris pigmented cells photoreceptors C12N5/062

Abstract

A method for increasing the viability of viable cells which are administered to the brain or spinal cord of a mammalian subject. This method is accomplished by attaching the cell to a support matrix so that the cell attaches to the matrix surface, and implanting the support matrix with the attached cell into the brain or spinal cord. Preferred support matrices are glass or plastic microbeads, either solid or porous, having a diameter from about 90 to about 125 μm. The method employs cells of different types, preferably cells of neural or paraneural origin, such as adrenal chromaffin cells. Also useful are cell lines grown in vitro. Cells not of neural or paraneural origin, such as fibroblasts, may also be used following genetic alteration to express a desired neural product such as a neurotransmitter or a neuronal growth factor. The method is used to treat neurological diseases such as Parkinson'"'"'s disease, Alzheimer'"'"'s disease, Huntington'"'"'s disease, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the viability of viable cells which are injected into a mammalian brain or spinal cord, comprising:

adhering viable cells to the surface of a support matrix, and

injecting the adhered cells into a mammalian brain or spinal cord;

whereby the injected cells remain viable for at least two months after said injection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said support matrix is made of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polypentane, acrylonitrile polymer, nylon, magnetite, natural polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide and collagen.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said support matrix is glass.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said support matrix is a microcarrier bead.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said microcarrier bead has a diameter of from about 90 μ

m to about 150 μ

m.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said viable cells are selected from the group consisting of retinal pigment epithelial cells, human foreskin fibroblasts, chromaffin cells, cells of neural origin, cells of paraneural origin, and cells derived from the adrenal medulla.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said cells of neural origin are neural cell lines.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said injected cells remain viable for at least 180 days after said injection.

9. A method for increasing the viability of viable cells which are administered to a mammalian brain or spinal cord, comprising:

adhering viable cells to a microcarrier bead, and

administering the adhered cells to a mammalian brain or spinal cord;

whereby the administered cells remain viable for at least two months after said administration.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said microcarrier bead is made of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polypentane, acrylonitrile polymer, nylon, magnetite, natural polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide and collagen.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said microcarrier bead is glass.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said microcarrier bead has a diameter of from about 90 μ

m to about 150 μ

m.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said viable cells are selected from the group consisting of retinal pigment epithelial cells, human foreskin fibroblasts, chromaffin cells, cells of neural origin, cells of paraneural origin, and cells derived from the adrenal medulla.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said cells of neural origin are neural cell lines.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein said administered cells remain viable for at least 180 days after said administration.

16. A method for increasing the viability of viable cells which are administered to a mammalian brain or spinal cord, comprising:

adhering viable cells to the surface of a support matrix, and

administering the adhered cells to a mammalian brain or spinal cord;

whereby the administered cells remain viable for at least two months after said administration and said viable cells are selected from the group consisting of retinal pigment epithelial cells, human foreskin fibroblasts, chromaffin cells, cells of neural origin, cells of paraneural origin, and cells derived from the adrenal medulla.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said support matrix is made of a material selected from the group consisting of glass, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, polypentane, acrylonitrile polymer, nylon, magnetite, natural polysaccharide, a modified polysaccharide and collagen.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said support matrix is glass.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said administered cells remain viable for at least 180 days after said administration.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said cells of neural origin are neural cell lines.