Level C· Early human research exploring benefitsProspective StudyPubMedOpen access

A Novel Human Stem Cell Culture Model for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Reflecting Sexual Dimorphism in Heterotopic Ossification.

Joneleit J., Leimkühler P., Niemann T., Ruwe M., Jantos C., Wähnert D.

Prospective Study, published in Cells (2025) — summary generated from the PubMed abstract.

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Level C· Early human research exploring benefitsEvidence level of this study

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

  • Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
  • Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
  • Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
  • Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
  • Emerging · Emerging topic under active research
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This page is generated from the PubMed record. The Thai description is an automated summary of bibliographic fields and the abstract, not a full translation, and is not medical advice.

Study type
Prospective Study
Journal
Cells (2025)
Country
Switzerland
Reported sample size
—
Source database
PubMed
PMID
41090719
PMCID
PMC12524128
DOI
10.3390/cells14191491

Abstract (original English)

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a disease characterized by ectopic bone formation, which can occur following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we established a stem cell model using adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and skeletal stem cells (SSCs) to examine osteogenic factors present in the sera of TBI patients. Incubation of ADSCs and SSCs with osteoinductive medium supplemented with TBI serum significantly enhanced osteogenic differentiation, particularly in male ADSCs and both female and male SSCs, with male SSCs exhibiting the highest osteogenic potential. Furthermore, we identified TGF-β1 as an important factor involved in these osteogenic processes. Elevated levels of TGF-β1 were detected in the serum of male TBI patients 14 days post-injury. Cellular assays revealed a sexual dimorphism in response to TGF-β1 neutralization: osteogenic differentiation in male SSCs was significantly reduced, while no effect was detectable in female SSCs. These findings, together with the rarity of HO in female patients, suggest that TGF-β1 plays a central role in the development of HO in males. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of considering sex-specific mechanisms in traumatic HO for the development of sex-specific therapy options.

What this study does not prove

  • • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.

Evidence level

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

How we grade evidence
HumansOssification, HeterotopicMaleBrain Injuries, TraumaticFemaleTransforming Growth Factor beta1OsteogenesisSex CharacteristicsCell DifferentiationStem Cells

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