Transplantation of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells improves neovascularization in lower limb ischemia in rabbits / 医学研究生学报

ABSTRACT

Objective Stem cell transplantation is a new approach to the treatment of lower limb ischemia ( LLI) .This study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of the transplantation of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells ( BM-MSCs) in the treatment of LLI. Methods We established the left LLI model in 12 New Zealand rabbits and divided them into a control and a trial group of equal number.The control animals were injected with DMEM, while the rabbits in the trial group with autologous BM-MSCs, into the ischemic skeletal muscle.Four weeks after injection, we performed CT angiography and perfusion imaging of both lower limbs of the rabbits and conducted HE staining of the paraffin sections of the skeletal muscle of the ischemic limbs. Results Dynamic ob-servation revealed different degrees of ecderon necrosis in 2 of the LLI models in the control group, even with toenail coloboma, but no necrosis in the trial group except for some slight muscular atrophy. Both collateral arteries and blood perfusion were obviously increased in the ischemic lower limbs in the trial than in the control group.HE stai-ning showed a significantly higher density and percentage of capillaries in the skeletal muscle fibers in the former than in the latter ([6.500 ± 1.049]/HP vs [3.670 ±0.816]/HP, [9.68 ±0.56]%vs [5.87 ± 0.86]%, P<0.01), with no necrosis in either group, nor hematoma, bony tissue, or fibroid tumor in the trial group. Conclusion Autologous transplantation of BM-MSCs can improve neovascularization in ischemic lower limbs in rabbits and can be used as a safe and effective treatment of limb ischemia.