EFFECT OF INTASPINAL IMPLANTATION OF MICROGENE pSVPoMcat GENETICALLY MODIFIED SCHWANN CELLS ON SPINAL CORD INJURY REPAIR IN RATS / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

To observe the effect of intaspinal implantation of Schwann cells (SC) genetically modified with microgene pSVPoMcat on spinal cord injury (SCI) repair.120 SD rats were used to establish the hemisected spinal cord injury model at T 8 level,and they were divided randomly into three groups: genetically modified SC implantation group (group A),normal SC implantation group (group B) and control group without cell implantation (group C).One week after the operation ,combined behavioral score(CBS) and the cortical somatasensory evoked potential (GFAP) were measured and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) was examined by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry.Three months after the operation, all the rats were scanned with MRI and then were sacrificed.Neurofilament (NF) was examined with imunohistocytochemistry staining by using NF monoclonal antibody. Following were the results:(1) In group A,the number of cells expressed GFAP in injured sites was less than that in groups B and C.(2) MRI scanning showed that the SCI region almost recovered in group A but did not recover in group B.There was a malacie focus in SCI region in group C.This was corroborated by the NF staining.(3) The amplitudes of potential in the latent period in group A and B showed a tendency to recover,and it was consistent with CBS.The results suggested that the implantation of genetically modified SC with microgene pSVPoMcat could inhibit GFAP expression and promote the functional recovery of spinal cord injury in rats.