Effects of syngraft bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on ischemic reperfusion injury of rat liver graft

Objective To study the effects of syngraft bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on the recovery of ischemic reperfusion injury related liver graft and graft regeneration in a reduced-size liver transplantation in rats.Methods BMSCs were isolated from the femur of Wistar rat by density gradient centrifugation,the third generation cells were prepared in suspension.50% reduced-size liver transplantation models (Wistar donor liver to Wistar recipient) were established,which were divided into the experimental group (1 ml BMSCs suspension was injected into the portal vein) and the control group (1 ml saline was injected into the portal vein).After liver transplantation the status of the recipients was observed.After transplantation,liver and serum were collected and analyzed by biochemistry,immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry.Results BMSCs were in a high purity and homogeneity.Rats were up and about and drinking 2 hrs after transplantation.The difference of MDA,SOD,ALT and AST between the experimental group and the control group was statistically significant (all P ＜ 0.05).The cell cycle in the experimental group showed that G0/G1 ratio on the 2~(nd) and 3~(rd) day after transplantation was lower than that of the control group (respectively F = 22.061,44.572,all P ＜ 0.01).The number of positive PCNA cells in experimental group was higher than that in control group.The difference between these two groups on the 2~(nd),3~(rd) and 7~(th) day was statistically significant (respectively F = 30.716,28.281,8.975,all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Syngraft BMSCs transfused into the portal vein of the liver graft promotes both the proliferation of liver ceils and the recovery of isehemic reperfusion injury related graft liver. Key words: Mesenchymal stem cell transplantation; Reperfusion injury; Liver transplantation; Liver regeneration