Cell-based treatments have been considered a promising therapy for neurological diseases. However, currently there are no clinically available methods to monitor whether the transplanted cells reach and remain in the brain. In this study we investigated the feasibility of detecting the distribution and homing of autologous bone-marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) labeled with Technetium-99 m ((99m)Tc) in a cell-based therapy clinical study for chronic ischemic stroke. Six male patients (ages 24-65 years) with ischemic cerebral infarcts within the middle cerebral artery (MCA) between 59 and 82 days were included. Cell dose ranged from 1.25x10(8) to 5x10(8). Approximately 2x10(7) cells were labeled with (99m)Tc and intra-arterially delivered together with the unlabeled cells via a catheter navigated to the MCA. None of the patients showed any complications on the 120-day follow-up. Whole body scintigraphies indicated cell homing in the brain of all patients at 2 h, while the remaining uptake was mainly distributed to liver, lungs, spleen, kidneys and bladder. Moreover, quantification of uptake in Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) at 2 h showed preferential accumulation of radioactivity in the hemisphere affected by the ischemic infarct in all patients. However, at 24 h homing could only distinguished in the brains of 2 patients, while in all patients uptake was still seen in the other organs. Taken together, these results indicate that labeling of BMMCs with (99m)Tc is a safe and feasible technique that allows monitoring the migration and engraftment of intra-arterially transplanted cells for at least 24 h.

These results indicate that (99m)Tc-BM MNCs delivered by IC injection homed to the chagasic myocardium. However, cell biodistribution was heterogeneous and limited, being strongly associated with the myocardial perfusion pattern at rest. These initial data suggest that the IC route may present limitations in chagasic patients and that alternative routes of cell administration may be necessary.

Introduction The role of vitamin D on bone microarchitecture and fragility is not clear. Objective To investigate whether vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D <20 ng/mL) increases cortical bone loss and the severity of fractures. Design Cross-sectional study of 287 elderly women with at least one prevalent low-impact fracture. Methods Biochemistry, X-rays to identify vertebral fractures (VFs) and to confirm non-vertebral fractures (NonVFs), and high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) to evaluate bone microstructure. Results Serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with body mass index (BMI: r = −0.161, P = 0.006), PTH (r = −0.165; P = 0.005), CTX (r = −0.119; P = 0.043) and vBMD at cortical bone (Dcomp: r = 0.132; P = 0.033) and entire bone (D100: r = 0.162 P = 0.009) at the distal radius, but not at the tibia. Age and PTH levels were potential confounding variables, but in the multiple linear regressions only BMI (95% CI: 0.11–4.16; P < 0.01), 25(OH)D (95% CI: −0.007 to 1.70; P = 0.05) and CTX (95% CI: −149.04 to 21.80; P < 0.01) predicted Dcomp, while BMI (95% CI: 1.13–4.18; P < 0.01) and 25(OH)D (95% CI: 0.24–1.52; P < 0.01) predicted D100. NonVFs predominated in patients with 25(OH)D <20 ng/mL (P = 0.013). Logistic regression analysis showed a decrease in the likelihood of presenting grade 2–3 VFs/NonVFs for every increase in 25(OH)D (OR = 0.962, 95% CI: 0.940–0.984; P = 0.001), BMI (OR = 0.932, 95% CI: 0.885–0.981; P = 0.007) and D100 at radius (OR = 0.994, 95% CI: 0.990–0.998; P = 0.005). Conclusion In elderly patients with prevalent fractures, vitamin D deficiency was associated with cortical bone loss and severity of fractures.