Combining transspinal electrical stimulation and adipose-derived stem cell secretome as a therapy for ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating and fatal neuromuscular disease that places extreme financial, physical, and emotional burdens on affected Veterans and their caregivers. Currently, ALS remains without a cure and is commonly diagnosed at advanced disease stages when treatments are ineffective. Though the loss of motor neurons is a disease hallmark, it is now clear that various tissues and cells play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of ALS. As such, multi-factorial therapeutic targeting is an increasingly necessary approach for developing and testing ALS treatments. This therapeutic gap represents an unmet need in ALS. My CDA-2 funding has supported pre-clinical animal studies to assess and optimize the therapeutic potential of the secretome, or conditioned culture medium, from adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs). We and others have determined that systemic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) secretome therapy, including ASC secretome, imparts neurologic, survival, and other benefits in the mSOD1G93A mouse model of ALS. Preliminary studies have also revealed a significant ASC-CM-mediated reduction in key serum inflammatory biomarkers, which hints at a possible mechanism of its action. However, when given before, through and into late stages of disease, the benefits facilitated by this secretome therapy eventually declines. As such, a clinically relevant adjunctive treatment could enhance the therapeutic benefits of ASC secretome therapy. Trans-spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS) represents an approach to potentially improve the efficacy of ASC secretome long-term. For the proposed study, we will treat mSOD1G93A ALS mice with ASC secretome derived from ASCs grown using our patented optimized culture approach for neurological disease treatment and test whether regular tsDCS extends the therapeutic benefits in ALS. Our hypothesis is that combining daily systemic ASC secretome therapy and weekly tsDCS beginning at symptom onset will synergistically slow disease progression and extend the therapeutic benefits of ASC secretome. Our long-term goal is to not only extend life, but also improve quality of life for ALS-afflicted Veterans and their families. SPECIFIC AIM 1. Demonstrate whether regular trans-spinal lumbar electrical stimulation supplemented with systemic ASC secretome therapy improves functional and survival outcomes in mSOD1G93A mice. The goal of this Aim is to determine whether weekly tsDCS combined with systemic ASC secretome or control medium therapy ameliorates motor dysfunction and prolongs lifespan in mSOD1G93A mice. As part of a modified Neuroscore we will assess limb extension, grip strength, and locomotor function to assess the onset and progression of symptoms. Overall survival and lifespan from symptom onset will also be analyzed. SPECIFIC AIM 2. Evaluate whether combined tsDCS and ASC serum therapy impart histological motor neuron survival and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) innervation benefits. To test the hypothesis that our proposed therapy could impact the underlying neurodegenerative characteristics differentially from outward behavioral and functional measures such as neurological function, quality of life, and survival, we will perform histologic analysis of lumbar spinal cord and hindlimb muscle to assess MN survival and NMJ innervation. As MN and NMJ are typically fully degenerated at humane end-stage (the endpoint in Aim 1), we will treat a separate cohort of mice with ASC secretome, control medium, and weekly tsDCS between 70-90 days of age, a period we have documented secretome effects on moderate stages of neuromuscular degeneration therapy. Following sacrifice at 90 days, lumbar spinal cord and gastrocnemius muscle will be sectioned and immunolabeled for MN quantification and NMJ innervation, respectively. Project Number: 1I21RX005155-01A1 | Fiscal Year: 2026 | NIH Institute/Center: Veterans Affairs (VA) | Principal Investigator: Chandler Walker | Institution: RLR VA MEDICAL CENTER, INDIANAPOLIS, IN | Activity Code: I21 | Study Section: Rehabilitation Research and Development SPiRE Program[RRDS] View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11053396