Transplantation of cultured human neuronal cells for patients with stroke

To the Editor:

Kondziolka et al.1 report the results of a study in which LBS-Neurons were transplanted into the brains of 12 stroke patients. LBS-Neurons are produced from a cell line, derived from human teratocarcinoma by Layton Bioscience (LBS) (Atherton, CA). Although this study may prove a landmark in the clinical management of stroke, the conclusions drawn by the authors should be viewed with caution.

The choice of cells for this therapy raises serious concern. LBS-Neurons are theoretically capable of unlimited proliferation but are treated “in the dish” with retinoic acid to induce differentiation into postmitotic neurons prior to transplantation. The methods by which these cells are considered postmitotic are not described by Kondziolka et al. After transplantation, recipient patients were immunosuppressed for 8 weeks. The authors report no adverse events after the procedure as assessed by “laboratory, radiographic, or electrocardiographic abnormalities” over a period of 12 months. However, a closer reading of the text reveals that the radiologic assessment consisted of MRI performed at 24 weeks and PET scans performed at 24 and 52 weeks. Such radiologic assessment seems scanty and does not include …