Effects of microencapsulated rabbit sciatic nerve tissue transplantation on substance P expression in dorsal root ganglia in rats with spinal cord hemisection.

Objective To observe the effects of microencapsulated rabbit sciatic nerve tissue transplantation on substance P(SP)expression in dorsal root ganglia(DRG)after spinal cord hemisection injury(hSCI).Methods The experimental rats were divided into 4 groups:the control group,the purely injured group,nervous tissue cells implanting group and microencapsalated nervous tissue cells implanting group after spinal cord right hemisection injury.Immunohistochemical staining and image analysis were used to detect the number of the positive neurons and the mean optical density and the percentages of SP positive cells in the DRG.Results After hSCI,the number of the positive neurons and the mean optical density and the percentages of SP were reduced on the first and the second week.However,there was a gradual increase on the 4th and 8th week.Compared with nervous tissue cells implanting group or the purely injured group,all the parameters of SP were significantly higher in microencapsalated nervous tissue cells implanting group at different time points.There was no significant change between nervous tissue cells implanting and the purely injured groups.Conclusion The xenotransplantation of microencapsulated rabbit sciatic nerve tissue cells can increase SP expression and consequently promote the recovery of nervous function.