Combination of acupuncture with placenta derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for cerebral palsy in a rat model / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Both of acupuncture and mesenchymal stem cel transplantation have therapeutic effects on cerebral palsy. OBJECTIVE:To explore the therapentic effect of acupuncture combined with placenta derived mesenchymal stem cel s on rat cerebral palsy. METHODS:Thirty-five Wistar rats were equivalently randomized into five groups, including control group, model group, acupuncture group, transplantation group and combination group. Rat models of cerebral palsy were prepared in al groups except the control group. At 7 days after modeling, in the transplantation group, 10μL placenta derived mesenchymal stem cel s were transplanted into the right cerebral cortex and striatum of rats;rats in theacupuncture group were given acupuncture at Shuigou (DU26), Dazhui (DU14), Baihui (DU20), Guanyuan (RN4) and Qihai (RN6) points;rats in the combination group given acupuncture and transplantation treatment as described above;the model and control groups received no treatment. Then, after 7-day intervention, the body mass, neurological function and pathological changes of rat brain tissues were measured and observed, respectively. . RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The order of the growth rate of body mass was as fol owscontrol group>combination group>acupuncture and transplantation groups>model group, and al groups had significant differences except the two groups of acupuncture and transplantation (P<0.05);findings from holding tract, foot error and water finding in maze tests showed the neurological function was best in the control group, fol owed by the combination group, as wel as acupuncture and transplantation groups, and the worst in the model group. Al groups had significant differences except acupuncture and transplantation groups (P<0.05). Besides, in the model group, cel s in the brain and hippocampus decreased, arranging disorderly with fuzzy structure, and inflammatory cel s appeared;pathological changes in the other groups were in between control group and model group, Additional y, brain tissues in the combination group exlibited better pathological changes than those in the acupuncture and transplantation groups, which were similar with the normal brain tissues. To conclude, acupuncture, placenta derived mesenchymal stem cel s transplantation, or their combination can improve neurological function in rats with cerebral palsy, especial y the combination treatment.