Volume 29, Issue 4, 2020
DOI: 10.24205/03276716.2020.845
Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplantation on Repair of Rat Spinal Cord Injury
Abstract
To investigate the effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation on promoting the repair of spinal cord injury (SCI). A modified Allen method was used to establish the rat model of SCI. The rats were randomly divided into a control group (Group A) that was intraspinally microinjected with 10 μl of normal saline 5d after SCI, and a MSCs transplantation group (Group B) that was intraspinally microinjected with 10 μl of MSCs suspension 5 d after SCI. Oblique board test was performed respectively on days 10, 20 and 30 after transplantation, the recovery of rat motor function was observed using the BBB scale method of spinal cord motor function, the recovery of nerve function was observed using spinal cord evoked potential, the changes of the empty area of SCI were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and the survival and differentiation of transplanted MSCs as well as the regeneration of nerve fibers in the injured site were discerned using the immunohistochemical method. The differences in the incline angle of oblique board, BBB score, MEP incubation period, SEP incubation period and nerve axon counting 30 d after transplantation were statistically significant between the two groups (P<0.05). In the experimental group, astrocytes and nerve fiber regeneration could be obviously observed and the empty area of the injured site of spinal cord was significantly reduced. MSCs can be differentiated into neurons and neurogliocytes in the injured site of spinal cord, thus reducing the empty area of the injured site and facilitating the regeneration of axon and motor function recovery.
Keywords
spinal cord injury; mesenchymal stem cell; transplantation; functional recovery