Effects of human bone marrow stromal cells intracerebral transplantation on the improvement of hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in rats

Objective To investigate the protective effect of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) intracerebral transplantation on rats with hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD). Methods Thirty-six 7-days-old SD rats were randomly divided into the Control group, HIBD group and Transplanted group (n= 12). Rats in the latter two groups were subjected to ligation of the left carotid artery,followed by 2 hours of hypoxia. Control rats were sham operated without ligation of the artery and subsequent hypoxia. BMSCs were obtained from healthy human ribs. Rats in the Transplanted group received BMSCs intracerebral transplantation in the left sensorimotor cortex at the 3 rd day post-damage. The neuroprotective effect of transplantation was evaluated by histological examination and behavioral tests, which concluded the T-maze test and sensorimotor tests, at 3~4 weeks postnatal. Transplanted BMSCs were identified by immunofluoresence.Results Hypoxia-ischemia induced neurons lost in DG area ( 33.92±5.6) vs (51.1±3.9),P0.001] and cortex [(12.3±3.0) vs (17.8±3.0),P0.001] was significantly less in BMSCs transplanted rats [(44.9±3.1),P=0.003;(17.5±3.1),P0.001] than in HIBD rats. HIBD rats show much insufficiency in the behavior tests, as compared with the controls. While in most behavior tests the transplanted rats were significantly better than the HIBD rats. With immunofluoresence examination, BMSCs could be found in the brains. Conclusion Intracerebral BMSCs transplantation could improve HIBD in rats.