Effect of tail vein transplantation of human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells with different transforming growth factor-β expressions on sciatic nerve function in xenografted mice

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of tail vein transplantation of human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) with different transforming growth factor (TGF)-β expressions on recovery of sciatic nerve function in peripheral nerve xenotransplantation mice. Methods The hAMSCs were isolated from amnion membranes by healthy mother donors and identified by fluorescence activated cell sorter. The up-regulated and down-regulated TGF-β lentiviral plasmids were constructed and transfected into the purified hAMSCs; hAMSCs with stable up-regulated or down-regulated TGF-β expression were constructed. The sciatic nerves of C57BL/6 mice were isolated and cut out, and sciatic nerves of SD rats were isolated and transplanted into the sciatic nerve defected C57BL/6 mice to construct peripheral nerve xeno-transplanted mice models; these mice models were divided into 4 groups (n=10) according to random number table: control group, hAMSCs treatment group, high-expressed TGF-β hAMSCs treatment group, and low-expressed TGF-β hAMSCs treatment group; one d before modeling, phosphate buffer saline (PBS) or hAMSCs re-suspension were drawn with a syringe and slowly pushed into the tail veins of mice for transplantation treatment; 14 d after treatment, DigGait analysis system was used to evaluate the recovery of sciatic nerve function in each group of mice. Result Fourteen d after treatment, the sciatic nerve function index (SFI) of the high-expressed TGF-β hAMSCs treatment group (-25.820±0.286) was significantly higher than that of the low-expressed TGF-β hAMSCs treatment group (-33.413±0.920) and hAMSCs treatment group (-30.755±0.421, P<0.05). Conclusion The tail vein transplantation of hAMSCs with TGF-β high expression can effectively improve the sciatic nerve function in peripheral nerve xenotransplantation mice, which may be a new breakthrough in the treatment of peripheral nerve defects. Key words: Human amniotic mesenchymal stem cell; Transforming growth factor-β; Stem cell therapy; Peripheral nerve defect