Transplantation of NGF modified umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells improves neurological deficits in rats subjected to brain trauma / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of NGF gene modified umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSC) transplantation on neurological functional improvement in traumatic brain rats. Methods Cerebral contusion model in motor-sensory cortex in rats was established by a weight hammer falling method. UCMSC were culutred and transferred with NGF gene. After NGF expression and activity was identified,the NGF gene modified UCMSC were engrafted into injured brain. The neurological function was evaluated 2 weeks after brain injury. And the NGF immunostaining was also performed to explore the level of NGF expression. Results Severe neurological dysfunction( 10.50 ± 0.53 )occurred in rats after traumatic brain injury, while the UCMSC transplantaion led to a significant functional improvement( 7.75 ± 0. 71 )(P ＜ 0. 01 ). Moreover, the best functional improvement was found in rats receiveing UCMSC grafts modified with NGF gene (5.38 ± 0. 52 ) (P ＜ 0.01 ). Conclusion NGF gene modified UCMSC transplantation can improve neural behavior in rats with brain trauma.