Effect of Xenotransplantation of Microencapsulated Sciatic Nerve Tissue on T Lymphocyte Subsets and Behavior in Rat of SCI

Objective We transplanted microencapsulated rabbit sciatic nerve tissue into the injured spinal cord of rats to observe the alterations of T lymphocyte subsets and recovery estate of hindlimb locomotor function. Methods A total of 88 adult Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly divided into normal control group (8 rats), microencapsulated sciatic nerve tissue group (40 rats) and cell suspension group (40 rats). A flow cytometry was to used to analyze T lymphocyte subsets isolated from peripheral blood and BBB scores were used to assess hind limb locomotor function at the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th and 28th days postoperatively. Results The number CD4+T cells incereased in cell suspension group than in normal control at the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 28th days postoperatively, and obrilously increased in cell suspension group than in microencapsulated sciatic nerve tissue group at the 7th, 14th and 28th days postoperatively. The number of CD8+T cells in cell suspension group also increased comparing with normal control group and microencapsulated sciatic nerve tissue group at the 7th, 14th and 28th days after operation, but with no difference for CD4+T and CD8+ T cells between microencapsulated sciatic nerve tissue and normal control at each time point postoperatively. The BBB scores were higher in microencapsulated sciatic nerve tissue than in cell suspension group at the 14th and 28th days after operation. Conclusion Microencapsulated sciatic nerve tissue can prevent the rat's CD4+T and CD8+T cells from activation and proliferation, and improve the recovery of locomotor function of hind limb.