Masanori Sasaki MD, PhD
Visiting Assistant Professor of Neurology
Research Interests
Cell Transplantation for Spinal Cord Injury and CNS diseases
Extensive Research Description
My research interest is in the area of cellular transplantation to repair spinal cord injury. My work has primarily utilized neural cells derived from adult tissues and processed for transplantation into injured spinal cord. I developed cells from the olfactory system called olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) that display unique properties that assist normal axon growth of olfactory sensory neurons into the brain. I have also engineered adult stem cells derived from bone marrow to hypersecrete a neurotrophic factor and has found that these cells are neuroprotective. Collectively, my research has important clinical implications and could lead to a clinical study in spinal cord injury patients.
Selected Publications
- Suzuki J, Sasaki M, Harada K, Bando M, Kataoka Y, Onodera R, Mikami T, Wanibuchi M, Mikuni N, Kocsis JD, Honmou O. (2013) Bilateral cortical hyperactivity detected by fMRI associates with improved motor function following intravenous infusion of mesenchymal stem cells in a rat stroke model, Brain Res, 1497:15-22.
- Honmou O, Onodera R, Sasaki M, Waxman SG, Kocsis JD. (2012) Mesenchymal stem cells: therapeutic outlook for stroke., Trends Mol Med, 18(5):292-7.
- Sasaki M, Honmou O, Radtke C, Kocsis JD (2011) Development of a Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Model in the Nonhuman Primate and a Safety Study of I.V.Infusion of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells, PLoS ONE, 6(10):e26577.
- Radtke C, Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Gallo V, Kocsis JD (2011) CNPase Expression in Olfactory Ensheathing Cells, J Biomed Biotechnol, 608496.
- Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Radtke C, Honmou O, KocsisJD Remyelination after olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation into diverse demyelinating environments, Exp Neurol, 229 (1): 88-98
- Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Brown RJ, Ruddle NH, Kocsis JD (2010) Focal experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the Lewis rat induced by immunization with MOG and Intraspinal injection of VEGF, GLIA, 58(13):1523-31.
- Sasaki M, Radtke C, Tan AM, Zhao P, Hamada H, Houkin K, Honmou O, Kocsis JD (2009) BDNF- hypersecreting human mesenchymal stem cells promote functional recovery, axonal sprouting and protection of corticospinal neurons after spinal cord injury, J Neurosci, 29(47):14932-41.
- Sasaki M, Honmou O, Kocsis JD (2009) A rat middle cerebral artery occlusion model and intravenous cellular delivery, Methods Mol Biol, 549:187-95.
- Kocsis JD, Lankford KL, Sasaki M, Radtke C (2009) Unique in vivo properties of olfactory ensheathing cells that may contribute to neural repair and protection following spinal cord injury, Neurosci Lett, 456(3):137-42.
- Markakis EA, Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Kocsis JD (2009) Convergence of cells from the progenitor fraction of adult olfactory bulb tissue to remyelinating glia in demyelinating spinal cord lesions, PLoS One, 4(9):e7260.
Selected Publications
- Suzuki J, Sasaki M, Harada K, Bando M, Kataoka Y, Onodera R, Mikami T, Wanibuchi M, Mikuni N, Kocsis JD, Honmou O. (2013) Bilateral cortical hyperactivity detected by fMRI associates with improved motor function following intravenous infusion of mesenchymal stem cells in a rat stroke model, Brain Res, 1497:15-22.
- Honmou O, Onodera R, Sasaki M, Waxman SG, Kocsis JD. (2012) Mesenchymal stem cells: therapeutic outlook for stroke., Trends Mol Med, 18(5):292-7.
- Sasaki M, Honmou O, Radtke C, Kocsis JD (2011) Development of a Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Model in the Nonhuman Primate and a Safety Study of I.V.Infusion of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells, PLoS ONE, 6(10):e26577.
- Radtke C, Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Gallo V, Kocsis JD (2011) CNPase Expression in Olfactory Ensheathing Cells, J Biomed Biotechnol, 608496.
- Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Radtke C, Honmou O, KocsisJD Remyelination after olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation into diverse demyelinating environments, Exp Neurol, 229 (1): 88-98
- Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Brown RJ, Ruddle NH, Kocsis JD (2010) Focal experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the Lewis rat induced by immunization with MOG and Intraspinal injection of VEGF, GLIA, 58(13):1523-31.
- Sasaki M, Radtke C, Tan AM, Zhao P, Hamada H, Houkin K, Honmou O, Kocsis JD (2009) BDNF- hypersecreting human mesenchymal stem cells promote functional recovery, axonal sprouting and protection of corticospinal neurons after spinal cord injury, J Neurosci, 29(47):14932-41.
- Sasaki M, Honmou O, Kocsis JD (2009) A rat middle cerebral artery occlusion model and intravenous cellular delivery, Methods Mol Biol, 549:187-95.
- Kocsis JD, Lankford KL, Sasaki M, Radtke C (2009) Unique in vivo properties of olfactory ensheathing cells that may contribute to neural repair and protection following spinal cord injury, Neurosci Lett, 456(3):137-42.
- Markakis EA, Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Kocsis JD (2009) Convergence of cells from the progenitor fraction of adult olfactory bulb tissue to remyelinating glia in demyelinating spinal cord lesions, PLoS One, 4(9):e7260.
- Lankford KL*, Sasaki M*, Radtke C, Kocsis JD (* Equal Contribution) (2008) Olfactory Ensheathing Cells Exhibit Unique Migratory, Phagocytic, and Myelinating Properties in the X-irradiated Spinal Cord not Shared by Schwann Cells, GLIA, 56(15)1664-78
- Radtke C, Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Vogt PM, Kocsis JD (2008) Potential of olfactory ensheathing cells for cell-based therapy in spinal cord, J Rehabil Res Dev, 45(1)141-152
- Kocsis JD, Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Radtke C (2007) CNS Regeneration: Basic Science and Clinical Advances, , Multiple Sclerosis: Remyelination, Elsevier Inc, 413-435, Published, ISBN=0123739942
- Sasaki M, Li B, Lankford KL, Radtke C, Kocsis JD (2007) Remyelination of the injured spinal cord, Prog Brain Res, 161:419-33.
- Radtke C, Spies M, Sasaki M, Vogt PM, Kocsis JD (2007) Demyelinating diseases and potential repair strategies, Int. J. Devl Neuroscience, 25, 149-153
- Sasaki M, Black JA, Lankford KL, Tokuno HA, Waxman SG, Kocsis JD (2006) Molecular reconstruction of nodes of Ranvier after remyelination by transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells in the demyelinated spinal cord, J Neurosci, 26(6):1803-12.
- Dombrowski MA, Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Kocsis JD, Radtke C (2006) Myelination and nodal formation of regenerated peripheral nerve fibers following transplantation of acutely prepared olfactory ensheathing cells, Brain Res, 1125(1):1-8.
- Sasaki M*, Hains BC*, Lankford KL, Waxman SG, Kocsis JD, (* Equal Contribution) (2006) Protection of corticospinal tract neurons after dorsal spinal cord transection and engraftment of olfactory ensheathing cells., GLIA, 53(4)352-9
- Sasaki M, Lankford KL, Zemedkun M, Kocsis JD (2004) Identified olfactory ensheathing cells transplanted into the transected dorsal funiculus bridge the lesion and form myelin, J Neurosci, 24(39):8485-93.
- Oka S, Honmou O, Akiyama Y, Sasaki M, Houkin K, Hashi K, Kocsis JD (2004) Autologous transplantation of expanded neural precursor cells into the demyelinated monkey spinal cord, Brain Res, 1030(1):94-102.
- Sasaki M, Honmou O, Akiyama Y, Uede T, Hashi K, Kocsis JD (2001) Transplantation of an acutely isolated bone marrow fraction repairs demyelinated adult rat spinal cord axons, Glia, 35(1):26-34.
