Effects of mesenchymal stem cells transplantation on the repairing of spinal cord injury

Objective To observe the effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCS) transplantation on the brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) after the spinal cord injury (SCI) of rats, and investigate the mechanism of repairing the SCI by MSCS transplantation.Methods Mesenchymal stem cells were cultured from the thighbone of adult SD rats and identified by immunoctochemistry.Seven days after the operation of spinal cord injury, the mesenchymal stem cells were transplanted into the injured spinal cord site.Sixty adult SD rats were random divided into three groups: Spinal cord injury cured with transplants of mesenchymal stem cells to the injured spinal cord site ( group A), spinal cord injury received PBS solution( group B) and control group ( group C).The expression of brain - derived neurotrophic factors of the lesion and neighbor areas were examined by immunohistochemistry, The mechanism of repairing the lesion and neighbor areas were examined by immunohistochemistry, and the mechanisms of repairing the spinal cord injury after mesenchymal stem cells transplantation were investigated.Results Mesenchymal stem cells began to grow after 24 hours of inoculation and proliferate 72 hours later.The proliferate the proliferous cyclewas 4 ～6 days, it declined on the 10th era.Mesenchymal stem cells turned to flat, and the mesenchymal stem cells could maintain the ability of proliferation if bFGF was added.Compared with group B, transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells enhanced more expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factors in group A ( 14 d :0.31 ± 0.03 vs 0.25 ± 0.04, P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusion Mesenchymal stem cells in transplantation group showed a continued high level of brain-derived neurotrophic factors, which may be one of the mechanisms of repairing the spinal cord injury by mesenchymal stem cells transplantation. Key words: Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation;  Spinal cord injuries/SU/ME;  Brain-derived neurotrophic factor/ME