Stem Cells from Baby Teeth Show Promise for Treating Cerebral Palsy in Clinical and Preclinical Studies
核心洞察
Researchers have reported early clinical findings showing that stem cell therapy derived from human baby teeth (SHED (搜索)) was well tolerated in children with cerebral palsy (搜索), with no serious adverse events reported.
Japanese scientists demonstrated for the first time in animal models that SHED (搜索) therapy can improve motor and cognitive impairments even in the chronic phase of cerebral palsy (搜索), after motor deficits have already appeared.
The stem cells appear to work through neurotrophic and immunomodulatory properties, with preclinical studies showing they promote neural stem cell proliferation via hepatocyte growth factor secretion.
Researchers have reported promising early clinical findings for a novel stem cell therapy derived from naturally shed (搜索) baby teeth as a potential treatment for children with cerebral palsy (搜索). The therapy uses stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (搜索) (SHED), offering a noninvasive source of regenerative cells for addressing this neurological condition that affects two to three children per 1,000 live births worldwide.
Clinical Safety Demonstrated in Early Human Study
In the clinical investigation, children with cerebral palsy (搜索) received SHED (搜索)-based therapy under controlled conditions using stem cells derived from donor deciduous teeth. According to researchers, the treatment was generally well tolerated with no serious adverse events linked to the stem cell administration reported during the study period. Investigators also observed improvements in some motor and functional assessments among certain participants following treatment, though the study design does not allow firm conclusions about treatment effectiveness.
The practical advantages of dental pulp-derived stem cells make them an attractive therapeutic option. Because they can be obtained from naturally shed (搜索) teeth and expanded in culture, SHED cells may offer a relatively accessible and scalable cell source for regenerative medicine applications, avoiding ethical concerns associated with other stem cell sources.
Breakthrough Preclinical Results Show Chronic Phase Efficacy
Japanese researchers from Nagoya University have demonstrated for the first time in animal models that stem cell therapy can improve motor and cognitive impairments in the chronic phase of cerebral palsy (搜索), even after motor deficits have appeared. "This is the first animal study to show that stem cell treatment works even after motor deficits have already appeared," said Clinical Professor Yoshiaki Sato of Nagoya University Hospital, the study's corresponding author.
The research team, led by Sato, Dr. Takahiro Kanzawa, and Professor Yoshiyuki Takahashi, created cerebral palsy (搜索) models by inducing unilateral hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in 7-day-old rats. They administered SHED (搜索) intravenously during the chronic phase at 5, 7 and 9 weeks of age—roughly equivalent to pre-adolescence in humans.
Significant Functional Improvements Observed
The SHED (搜索)-treated rats demonstrated significant functional recovery across multiple assessments. In the horizontal ladder test, where rats crossed a ladder with irregularly spaced rungs, the SHED group had a significantly lower number of slips than the control group at four months. In the cylinder test measuring forelimb asymmetry, the SHED group relied more on the impaired forelimb than the control group. The shuttle avoidance test showed the SHED group demonstrated significantly better avoidance rates in later sessions, suggesting improved learning and memory.
Using quantum dot-labeled SHED (搜索) with in vivo imaging, researchers confirmed that the cells migrated to the brain, supporting the therapeutic mechanism.
Mechanism of Action Through Growth Factor Secretion
Cell culture experiments revealed that SHED (搜索) promoted neural stem cell proliferation more effectively than other stem cell types, including bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells and dermal fibroblasts. The researchers attribute this effect to SHED's high secretion of hepatocyte growth factor, suggesting the therapeutic effect occurs through promotion of new nervous tissue growth via hepatocyte growth factor and related biological pathways.
Researchers suggest that SHED (搜索) cells may have therapeutic potential because of their neurotrophic and immunomodulatory properties, which may support neuronal repair or reduce inflammation associated with brain injury.
Clinical Translation Underway
Nagoya University Hospital is currently conducting a clinical study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of a single intravenous dose of autologous SHED (搜索) in children with cerebral palsy (搜索). The team is collaborating with S-Quatre (搜索), a Japanese biotechnology company, to develop this new therapeutic approach for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (搜索), the primary cause of cerebral palsy.
"Our ultimate goal is to establish this approach as a new treatment option for patients with cerebral palsy (搜索) and their families," Sato said. Based on the results of the current study, the team plans to conduct large-scale trials and long-term follow-up studies to confirm the treatment's efficacy.
The research addresses a significant unmet medical need, as cerebral palsy (搜索) currently has no cure and treatment options focus primarily on rehabilitation, physical therapy, and symptom management rather than addressing the underlying neurological damage. Additional research will be needed to determine the long-term safety and clinical effectiveness of SHED (搜索)-based therapies, with larger controlled trials required to confirm whether the treatment can produce consistent functional improvements.