ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and bone marrow mononuclear cells(BMMNCs) have been both used to treat spastic cerebral palsy. However, the differences in their therapeutic effects remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effects of BMMSCs and BMMNCs in cerebral palsy children as well as on fine motor function. METHODS: 105 children with spastic cerebral palsy were enrolled and randomly assigned to three groups: BMMSCs group, BMMNCs group and control group. Patients in the two transplantation groups received four intrathecal cell injections, and those in the control group received Bobath therapy, twice a day, for consecutive 3 weeks. The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) and Fine Motor Function Measure (FMFM) were used to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy at 3, 6 and 12 months after transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At 3 months after cell transplantation, scores in A dimension of GMFM and in A, C dimensions of FMFM in BMMSC group were all superior to those of BMMNC group and control group (P < 0.05). At 6 months after cell transplantation, scores in A, B dimensions of GMFM and in A, B, C, D and E dimensions of FMFM in BMMSC group were better than those of BMMNC group and control group (P< 0.05), and total scores of GMFM and FMFM were also better in the BMMSC group (P < 0.05). At 12 months after cell transplantation, scores in A, B and C dimensions of GMFM and A, B, C, D and E dimensions of FMFM scores in BMMSC group were all superior to those of BMMNC group and control group (P < 0.05) as well as the total GMFM and FMFM scores. There were six cases of low intracranial pressure headache in BMMNC group and six cases of low-grade fever in BMMSC group. In summary, both BMMSCs transplantation and BMMNCs transplantation are safe, effective and feasible for the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy in children, and moreover, BMMSCs transplantation is a better method than BMMNCs transplantation to improve gross and fine motor functions of spastic cerebral palsy children.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigated the effect of lovastatin on hypoxia and serum deprivation (Hypoxia/SD) induced rat MSCs apoptosis in vitro and associated signaling pathway changes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MSCs were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats. The anti-apoptotic effects of lovastatin were detected using Hoechst33342 and annexin V-FITC/PI binding assay by Flow cytometric analysis. The phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2, the cytochrome C and the cleaved caspase-3 were detected by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Lovastatin (0.01 - 1 micromol/L) significantly reduced Hypoxia/SD-induced MSCs apoptosis and increased Akt phosphorylation, reduced caspase-3 activation and cytochrome c release from mitochondria to cytosol in a time dependent manner. These effects could be significantly blocked by both PI3K inhibitor, LY294002 and ERK1/2 inhibitor, U0126.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our results showed that lovastatin protects MSCs from Hypoxia/SD-induced apoptosis via activating PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathways suggesting a potential role of statins as an adjunct therapeutic agent during transplanting MSCs into damaged heart after myocardial infarction.</p>