To cite this article: Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2006; 27(Suppl.2):134–137 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Section V Clinical Toxicology 30 Autologous biograft and mesenchymal stem cells in treatment of the diabetic foot Ján Vojtaššák 1 , Ľuboš Danišovič 1 , Miroslav Kubeš 2,3, Dušan Bakoš 4 , Ľubomír Jarábek 5 , Marcela Uličná 1 & Milan Blaško 1 Institute of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia Eurocord-Slovakia, Bratislava, Slovakia Department of Plastics and Rubber, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology, Bratislava, Slovakia Center for Diabetic Foot, Zlaté Moravce, Slovakia Correspondence to: Prof. RNDr. Ján Vojtaššák, PhD. Institute of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 4, 811 08 Bratislava, Slovakia TEL.: +421-2-59357322, FAX: +421-2-59357467 EMAIL: jan.vojtassak@fmed.uniba.sk Submitted: September 15, 2006 Accepted: October 30, 2006 Key words: biograft; mesenchymal stem cells; therapy; diabetic foot; extracellular matrix; Coladerm; tissue engineering Neuroendocrinol Lett 2006; 27(Suppl.2):134–137 PMID: 17159798 NEL270806A30 © Neuroendocrinology Letters www.nel.edu Abstract OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to test a new technique for treatment of chronic non-healing wound (diabetic ulcer) using autologous biograft composed of autologous skin fibroblasts on biodegradable collagen membrane (Coladerm) in combination with autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) derived from the patient’s bone marrow. DESIGN: The bone marrow aspirate of the patient with diabetic foot was applied directly to the wound and injected into the edges of the wound, finally covered with prepared autologous biograft. The patient received two additional treatments with cultured MSC on day 7 and 17. RESULTS: The wound showed a steady overall decrease in wound size and an increase in the vascularity of the dermis and in the dermal thickness of the wound bed after 29 days of combined treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Closing and healing of the non-healing diabetic ulcer was achieved by using the given combined therapy. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Abbreviations MSCs - mesenchymal stem cells TE - tissue engineering ECM - extracellular matrix EPCs - endothelial progenitor cells PBS - phosphate buffered saline AEC - aminoethylcarbazole Introduction Diabetes mellitus is accompanied by significant health complications, which lead to decreasing life quality of the affected individuals. In 5% of diabetic patients chronic ulcers are developed due to neu- ropathy and ischemia [1]. These wounds are non- healing with high risk of infection [2]. In several cases patients have to undergo partial or complete lower limb amputation.