Neuroglia in rat spinal cord contusion injury with cell-mediated delivery of a combination of VEGF165, GDNF, and NCAM1 genes in combination with epidural electrical stimulation

Abstract

Neural networks disturbed due to spinal cord injury are capable to restore that is largely determined by post-traumatic remodeling. It is known that information exchange between neurons is carried out by electrical impulse, which ensures the transmission of excitation in synapses, that is realized through neurotrophic factors according to the concept of neurotrophic interactions. Objective: to study the effect of a combination of epidural electrostimulation above and below the site of neurotrauma during training on the treadmill and intrathecal administration of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells, which simultaneously delivered three therapeutic genes encoding vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165), glial neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and neuronal cell adhesion molecule (NCAM1), to post-traumatic reorganization of neuroglia cells in a model of dosed concussion injury of rat spinal cord at the Th8-Th9 level. 30 days after the simulation of neurotrauma by the immunofluorescence method, a change in the number of macro- and microglia cells in the segment caudal from the damage epicenter was revealed. Electrostimulation did not affect the number of GFAP+-cells in the gray matter, but the combined effect of gene and electrotherapy restrained the increase in their number. Differences were found in the reactions of astrocytes in white and gray matter in response to electrical stimulation. In the zones of gray matter, the supporting effect of the combination of gene and electrotherapy on the number of Olig2+-cells was most clearly manifested. In this group of animals, the inhibition of the increase in the number of Iba1+-microglia cells in the gray matter can also be interpreted as a positive factor contributing to neuroregeneration.