Transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells for denervated muscular atrophy / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Microscopic surgery or some adjuvant treatments can neither effectively delay nor treat denervated muscle atrophy by repairing damaged nerve cells. Studies have found that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have the potential for directional differentiation and repair damaged tissues under certain environmental factors. It is speculated that the cells can play a certain role in repairing denervated atrophic muscles. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can alleviate and retard atrophy of denervated muscles. METHODS: Primary bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats, and passage 3 cells were labeled by BrdU for cell transplantation. Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, 10 rats in each group. In the sham operation group, only the main trunk of the sciatic nerve was exposed but not clamped. In the treatment group, the main trunk of the sciatic nerve was clamped and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell suspension was injected into the gastrocnemius muscle. In the control group, after the sciatic nerve trunk was clamped, the gastrocnemius muscle innervated by the sciatic nerve was injected with DMEM medium of equal volume (without cells and fetal bovine serum). Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scores were used to evaluate the motor function of the rat’s left hindlimb at 1 and 2 weeks after cell transplantation. Changes in the gastrocnemius muscle fibers were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and BrdU immunohistochemical staining at 14 days after cell transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The passage 3 bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were positive for BrdU. The labeled cells could survive in and repair the denervated muscle tissue in the treatment group. Compared with the model group, the denervated muscle fibers of the treatment group recovered from mutual fusion and re-arranged regularly. To conclude, transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can alleviate and retard atrophy of denervated muscles.