Large-sized Fetal Striatal Grafts in Huntington's Disease Do Stop Growing: Long-term Monitoring in the Florence Experience

PLoS Curr. 2014 Aug 4:6:ecurrents.hd.c0ad575f12106c38f9f5717a8a7d05ae. doi: 10.1371/currents.hd.c0ad575f12106c38f9f5717a8a7d05ae.

Abstract

Development of six large nodules of solid tissue after bilateral human fetal striatal transplantation in four Huntington's disease patients has raised concern about the safety of this experimental therapy in our setting. We investigated by serial MRI-based volumetric analysis the growth behaviour of such grafts. After 33-73 months from transplantation the size of five grafts was stable and one graft showed a mild decrease in size. Signs neither of intracranial hypertension nor of adjuctive focal neurological deficit have ever been observed. This supports long-term safety of the grafting procedure at our Institution.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the University of Florence and Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Florence, and by grants from Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze and MIUR (PRIN 2008, research program N 2008XN9KLA).