ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Brain transplantation has emerged as an effective treatment for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Huntingtons disease and Stroke. We evaluated that cytokine inducted human mesenchymal stem cells (Ci-hMSCs) transplanted in brain differentiated into neural cells and improved neurological functions after stroke in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the adult female Sprague-Dawley rats, ischemic lesion was induced by transient MCA occlusion lasted for 2 hours. One day later, Ci-hMSCs carrying LacZ gene were implanted via tail vein. The animals were assessed for sensorymotor function and sacrificed for Immunohistochemical staining at 7, 14, 28, 56 days after transplantation. RESULTS: A large number of X-gal positive hMSCs were observed in the ischemic core and ischemic boundary zone. Some hMSCs were reactive for the astrocytic marker - glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and neuronal marker - neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN). The ischemic rats that were transplanted with Ci-hMSCs exhibited better functional improvement than control groups and the rats with hMSCs, which was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The neuronal differentiation of CihMSCs suggested that transplantation of the Ci-hMSCs may provide the possibility of the clinical implication for cerebral stroke.