Effects of Transplantation of Microencapsulated Rabbit Sciatic Nerve Cells/tissue on Expression of FasL and Caspase-3 in Soleus Muscle after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Objective To investigate the changes in the expression of fasL and caspase-3 in soleus muscle after transplantation of microencapsulated rabbit sciatic nerve cells/tissue treating spinal cord injury(SCI) in rats,and to discuss the possible mechanism of the rehabilitation induced by the transplantation of microencapsulated xeno-sciatic nerve cells/tissue.Methods The rabbit sciatic nerve cells/tissue suspension was prepared from 8 rabbits.A total of 80 adult Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups:group A(normal control group,n=8),group B(transplantation of microencapsulated xeno-sciatic nerve cells/tissue,n=24),group C(transplantation of xeno-sciatic nerve cells/tissue,n=24) and group D(injury control group,n=24).Left hemisection of spinal cord at T10 level was performed in group B,C and D,and subsequently the gelatin sponge sticking 10 μL microencapsulated nerve cells/tissue suspension,the gelatin sponge sticking 10 μL cells/tissue suspension and gelatin sponge were transplanted,respectively.In group B,C and D,soleus samples in damage sides were taken from 6 rats in each group 1,3,7 and 14 days after SCI,respectively,while corresponding samples were collected from 2 rats each time in normal control group.The microstructure of muscle cells was observed by HE staining,and the expression of FasL and Caspase-3 was detected by immunohistochemistry.Results After spinal cord hemisection,soleus muscle atrophy was not obvious in group B,but the amyotrophy became more obvious with time in group C and D.The expression of fasL and caspase-3 in the soleus increased 1 day after spinal cord injury,reached a maximum at day 7,and maintained at a high level at day 14.In addition,within the same time stage,the expression fasL and caspase-3 in group B was significantly lower than that in group C and group D(P0.01).Conclusion The transplantation of microencapsulated rabbit sciatic nerve cells/tissue for the treatment of spinal cord injury can inhibit the expression of fasL and caspase-3 in soleus and delay muscle atrophy.