Effects of epidermal neural crest stem cell transplantation on expression of brain-derived neurotrophical factor in rats with spinal cord injury

Abstract:

Objective：To explore the role of epidermal neural crest stem cells（EPI-NCSCs） in the treatment of spinal cord injury（SCI） of rats and changes in expression of brain-derived neurotrophical factor（BDNF） and to investigate the mechanism of EPI-NCSCs re－pairing SCI from the perspective of neurotrophic factors. Methods：EPI-NCSCs were isolated from green fluorescent protein（GFP） transgenic rats for transplantation. Rat models of SCI were made by NYU-Ⅱ impactor（10 g 25 mm injuries force） at T10 level. Then 60 SD rats were randomly divided into blank injury group（group A），medium transplantation group（group B），epidermal neural crest stem cell transplantation group（group C）. EPI-NCSCs were transplanted into the injured region in group C at 1 week after establishing SCI model. Group B used the DMEM/F12 to take place of EPI-NCSCs. Nothing was done in blank injury group. Then locomotor function score was appraised at every week after the transplantation. Expression of BDNF in three groups was detected by ELISA，immunohistochemistry，immunofluoresence and Western blot respectively at 1，3，6 weeks after the transplantation. Results：After 2 weeks of transplantation，locomotor function score was higher in group C than in group A（2，3，4，5，6 weeks：P=0.003，0.000，0.000，0.000，0.000） and group B（2，3，4，5，6 weeks：P=0.440，0.000，0.006，0.000，0.008）. Based on the results of ELISA，expression of BDNF was higher in group C than in group A（P=0.009） and group B（P=0.013） at 3 weeks after the transplantation；expression of BDNF was higher in group C than in group A（P=0.003） and group B（P=0.003） at 6 weeks after the transplantation. Expression of BDNF was higher in group C than in group A and group B at 3 weeks and 6 weeks after the transplan－tation based on the results of immunohistochemistry and immunofluoresence. Expression of BDNF was higher in group C than in group A（P=0.000） and group B（P=0.000） at 6 weeks after the transplantation based on the results of Western blot. Conclusions：EPI-NC－SCs transplantation can repair SCI by increasing expression of BDNF to improve local microenvironment.