ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Acidic fibrobiast growth factor can regulate cell proliferation, migration, differentiation and survival, also can down-regulate the known inhibitor of axon regeneration, such as proteoglycan, help axons overcome these inhibitory factors, and have significant role on the regeneration of nerve fibers.OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility and effect of the acidic fibroblast growth factor combined with peripheral nerve transplantation in the treatment of high-level spinal cord injury in rats.METHODS: A total of adult 108 female SD rats were randomly divided into autologous nerve group, autologous nerve combined .with acidic fibroblast growth factor group, and high-level spinal cord injury group. The rat T_(8-10) spinous process and lamina were bite, revealing dural sac, high-level spinal cord was resected at a horizon level, cutting 3 mm, no nerve fibers were confirmed to be attached under the microscope. In the autogenous nerve group and autologous nerve combined with acidic fibroblast growth factor group, bilateral the 8~(th) to 10~(th) pairs of intercostal nerves were harvested 2 cm, then cross-transplanted into high-level spinal cord defect (proximal white matter and distal gray matter, distal white matter and proximal gray matter), fibrin gel and fibrin gel containing acidic fibroblast growth factor were used respectively to fix the implanted intercostal nerve, followed by dural suture.High-level spinal cord transection group was subjected to exclusion between stumps. At 90 days postoperation, somatosensory evoked potential and motor evoked potential were used to test nerve electrophysiological recovery. At 76 days postoperation,biotinylated dextran amine anterograde tracing was applied to observe the motor conduction bundle recovery. At 60 days postoperation, hindlimb motor function recovery was assessed by BBB score.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The somatosensory and motor evoked potential waveforms were not elicited in rats of high-level spinal cord transaction group, but did elicit in autogenous nerve group and autologous nerve combined acidic fibroblast growth factor group. The average latency and amplitude of somatosensory and motor evoked potentials, as well as BBB scores in autologous nerve combined acidic fibrobiast growth factor group were significantly superior to autologous nerve group (P ＜ 0.01).In the autogenous nerve group and autologous nerve combined acidic fibroblast growth factor group, many more biotinylated daxtran amine-positive nerve fibers passed in the damage zone, compared with high-level spinal cord transection group (P ＜0,01), the autologous nerve combined acidic fibrobiast growth factor group was more than autogenous nerve group (P ＜ 0.01). It is indicated that autologous peripheral nerve graft acidic flbroblast growth factor can better restore the limb motor functions of rats after high-level spinal cord injury.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:Present studies mainly focused on in vitro culture of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs)and cell transplantation for treating intracalvarium diseases.However,the understanding of survival,differentiation,migration and structure of transplanted cells in the damaged spinal cord is limited.OBJECTIVE:To explore effects of local BMSC transplantation in repair of spinal cord damage and feasibility of replacement therapy of BMSCs.METHODS:Adult healthy female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to cell transplantation and control groups.Rat models of spinal cord transection damage were established.Rat BMSC suspension or calcium and magnesium phosphate buffer were transplanted immediately after injury to the damage zone.At 1 day,1,2,3,4 and 8 weeks before and after transplantation,BBB score motor function was observed in rats,and at 1 week after transplantation,immunohistochemical staining was utilized to observe BrdU-labeled BMSC survival in the spinal cord damaged site.At 4 weeks after transplantation,the general observation and histological detection were observed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 1-8 weeks after transplantation,BBB scores were higher in the cell transplantation group than in the control group.At 1 week following surgery,immunohistochemical staining showed that BrdU-positive cells were detected in the distal end of rat spinal cord in the cell transplantation group.At 4 weeks following surgery,nerve fibers were found in the damaged spinal cord.These verified that BMSCs were transplanted into rat damaged spinal cord immediately following damage,and the transplanted cells could survive.Living BMSCs can differentiate into neurons,and formed neuron pathway in the local region of damage,which will promote the recovery of conduction function of spinal nerve fibers,and contribute to the recovery of rat hindlimb motor function following high-level spinal cord injury.