Effect of transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the expression of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in rats after sciatic nerve crush injury

Abstract

To investigate the effect of transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the expression of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in rats after sciatic nerve crush injury, a randomized controlled animal study was performed. Rats in the experimental group underwent transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells at sciatic nerve crushed sites. Distal nerve to crushed site suffered from nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor immunohistochemical staining postoperation. Image analysis system was adopted to analyze integrated optical density of positive expression. And several methods were done to confirm that transplantation of stem cells can promote the peripheral nerve regeneration. Nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein expression in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group in an early phase after surgery. We draw a conclusion that transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells at nerve crushed site can affect the expression of nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in an early phase, and it may be one of its mechanisms that promote the nerve regeneration.