Functional recovery after transplantation of induced pluripotent stem cells in a rat hemorrhagic stroke model

Abstract

Objective This study used a rat model of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a patient with ICH to investigate the possible mechanism that underlies the effect of transplantation therapy on neurological function in the rat ICH model. Methods The rat ICH model was prepared using collagenase injection. The successfully established rats with ICH were randomly divided into three groups, including the sham group, the phosphate buffer (PBS) group, and the iPSC group. The survival, migration and differentiation of the iPSCs in the rat brain were observed. The recovery of neurological function in the ICH rats was monitored dynamically using modified neurological severity scores (mNSS) and the modified limb placement test (MLPT). The expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and laminin (LN) were detected via immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting. Results The mNSS scores of the rats in the iPSC group on day 14 (2.60±0.70)and day 28(1.20±0.48) were significantly improved in comparison to the PBS group on day 14 (4.50±0.71) and day 28 (3.00±0.52, P< 0.05). The MLPTscores of the rats in the iPSC group on day 14 (2.00±0.92) and day 28 (1.20±0.85) were significantly improved in comparison to the PBS group on day 14 (2.60±0.91) and day 28 (1.80±0.89, P< 0.05). The expression levels of VEGF (140.76±1.58) and LN (140.22±0.67) in the perihematomal tissue of the rats in the iPSC group were significantly higher than those of the PBS group (P< 0.05). Conclusion The transplantation of iPSCs could promote the recovery of neurological function in rats with ICH, potentially by regulating the expression levels of VEGF and LN in the perihematomal tissue. Key words: Induced pluripotent stem cells; Intracerebral hemorrhage; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Laminin