科技日报北京2月11日电(张门兰记者)美国西北大学科学家研发出迄今为止最先进的人体脊髓损伤类器官模型。这可以准确模拟脊髓损伤的主要病理特征,为测试新的再生疗法提供有效的平台。这项研究首次使用实验室培养的人类脊髓类器官(源自干细胞的小器官结构)来模拟不同类型的脊髓损伤,并展示新的“击打分子”治疗策略的潜力。相关成果发表在新一期《自然生物医学工程》杂志上。这种类器官模型可以重现损伤后的典型变化,例如细胞死亡、炎症反应和胶质疤痕。胶质疤痕是由致密疤痕组织组成的理化屏障,长期以来被认为是神经再生的主要障碍。研究team focused on testing a new type of treatment called “beating molecules.” This therapy has been shown to promote tissue repair and reverse paralysis in early animal studies. In this organoid experiment, injured tissue showed significant neuroaxonal growth after treatment, while glial scar-like tissue was also significantly reduced. These results further support the clinical potential of this therapy, which has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and is expected to provide a new treatment option for patients with spinal cord injuries.脊髓类器官的直径可达几毫米,非常成熟且复杂,包含神经元、星形胶质细胞,并且首次包含中枢神经系统的免疫细胞。 This allows the model to more realistically simulate the inflammatory response during injury. The research team simulated physical amputation lacerations and pressure hematomas, both of which caused pathological changes consistent with real-life 伤害。 “反弹分子”疗法是超分子治疗肽平台的一部分,其作用机制基于分子的动态运动,增强其与细胞受体的相互作用。注射后,材料会自组装,形成模仿脊髓细胞外基质结构的纳米纤维网络。在受损的类器官中,这种治疗不仅可以减少炎症和神经胶质疤痕,还可以促进神经元的伸长和有序生长,这对于重建因损伤而破坏的神经元连接非常重要。分子流动性是该疗法有效性的关键因素。在对照实验中,移动性较小的分子未能引起类似的再生效应。 This finding provides an important basis for understanding the mechanism of action of this therapy.
(编辑:韩璐)