Abstract
BackgroundBone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the potential tools for treatment of the spinal cord injury; however, the survival and differentiation of MSCs in an injured spinal cord still need to be improved. In the present study, we investigated whether Governor Vessel electro-acupuncture (EA) could efficiently promote bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) survival and differentiation, axonal regeneration and finally, functional recovery in the transected spinal cord.ResultsThe spinal cords of adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were completely transected at T10, five experimental groups were performed: 1. sham operated control (Sham-control); 2. operated control (Op-control); 3. electro-acupuncture treatment (EA); 4. MSCs transplantation (MSCs); and 5. MSCs transplantation combined with electro-acupuncture (MSCs+EA). After 2-8 weeks of MSCs transplantation plus EA treatment, we found that the neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), cAMP level, the differentiation of MSCs, the 5-HT positive and CGRP positive nerve fibers in the lesion site and nearby tissue of injured spinal cord were significantly increased in the MSCs+EA group as compared to the group of the MSCs transplantation or the EA treated alone. Furthermore, behavioral test and spinal cord evoked potentials detection demonstrated a significantly functional recovery in the MSCs +EA group.ConclusionThese results suggest that EA treatment may promote grafted MSCs survival and differentiation; MSCs transplantation combined with EA treatment could promote axonal regeneration and partial locomotor functional recovery in the transected spinal cord in rats and indicate a promising avenue of treatment of spinal cord injury.
Highlights
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the potential tools for treatment of the spinal cord injury; the survival and differentiation of MSCs in an injured spinal cord still need to be improved
Results cAMP and NT-3 level in transected spinal cord Two weeks after the spinal cord surgery, the cAMP levels in the lesion site of spinal tissue were significantly increased in the MSCs transplantation combined with electro-acupuncture (MSCs+EA) group compared to other groups (F = 49.32, df = 3, P = 0.000), but there was no significant difference between the Op-control group, EA group, and MSCs group (Fig. 2A)
Four weeks following the spinal cord surgery, the NT-3 content at the lesion site in the MSCs+EA group was significantly increased compared to the MSCs or EA groups
Summary
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the potential tools for treatment of the spinal cord injury; the survival and differentiation of MSCs in an injured spinal cord still need to be improved. We investigated whether Governor Vessel electro-acupuncture (EA) could efficiently promote bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) survival and differentiation, axonal regeneration and functional recovery in the transected spinal cord. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been suggested as an alterative in spinal cord injury research and a promising candidate for the treatment of central nervous system injuries [21,22]. The limitations of MSCs include their poor survival and differentiation into neurons when transplanted into injured spinal cord [22,32,33]
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