Collection and characterisation of human olfactory ensheathing cells.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Collection and characterisation of human olfactory ensheathing cells
IRAS ID
172223
Contact name
Marios Papadopoulos
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
St. George's, University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition. It impacts hugely on patients, families and communities. To date there is no treatment to improve outcome. There is a limited regenerative capacity of the central nervous system (CNS), such that damaged nerve fibres are not replaced. A substantial body of evidence suggests that cultured olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) that were obtained from olfactory bulbs (OBs) and transplanted into injured spinal cord facilitate nerve regeneration in rodents and humans with SCI. However, harvesting autologous OBs to culture OECs has several disadvantages which includes exposing paralysed patients to the risks of surgery on their brain, loss of the sense of smell, cells obtained are limited and the cells may not grow afterall. The procedure then has to be abandoned with no beneit to the patient.
Therefore we are applying for an alternative source of OECs.
We propose collecting human OBs as a source of OECs from heart-beating, brain-dead organ donors.
There are two olfactory bulbs located at the anterior skull base, responsible for transmitting the sensation of smell from the nose to the brain. Obtaining OECs requires craniotomy (opening the skull) to remove the olfactory bulbs. In PHASE 1, the OECs will be cultured and their properties will be investigated to optimise collection and storage conditions.
In PHASE 2, OECs will be stored in a Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) facility for future transplantation into patients with SCI. This will be subject for a future application should phase 1 been successful.REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0847
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jun 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion