TGF-β1-Secreting Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Therapy for Long-Lasting Neuropathic Pain Relief
Unmet Need
Neuropathic pain remains a significant clinical challenge, with current treatments providing only temporary relief and failing to address the underlying neuroinflammatory mechanisms. Chronic nerve injury leads to persistent pain hypersensitivity, which is difficult to manage with conventional pharmacological approaches. There is a need for a therapy that directly targets injured neurons and modulates neuroinflammation to provide long-lasting pain relief.
Technology
Duke inventors have developed a method for treating neuropathic pain using bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) engineered to secrete TGF-β1 and express CXCR4. This is intended to be a biological approach to sustained pain relief by leveraging the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of TGF-β1. Specifically, BMSCs migrate to injured dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) in response to CXCL12 expression, where they reduce inflammation and modulate pain pathways through sustained TGF-β1 release. This has been demonstrated in preclinical models of chronic constriction injury (CCI) and spared nerve injury (SNI), where treatment resulted in significant and prolonged pain relief.
Other Applications
This technology could also be applied to inflammatory and cancer-related pain, where modulating neuroinflammation and neuronal excitability could provide therapeutic benefits.
Advantages
- Targets injured neurons directly via CXCL12/CXCR4-mediated migration
- Reduces neuroinflammation through sustained TGF-β1 secretion
- Demonstrated efficacy in preclinical models of chronic nerve injury
- Potential for long-lasting pain relief through biologically-driven mechanisms