J Vet Sci.  2016 Mar;17(1):97-102. 10.4142/jvs.2016.17.1.97.

Expression of neurotrophic factors in injured spinal cord after transplantation of human-umbilical cord blood stem cells in rats

• Chung HJ
• Chung WH
• Lee JH
• Chung DJ
• Yang WJ
• Lee AJ
• Choi CB
• Chang HS
• Kim DH
• Suh HJ
• Lee DH
• Hwang SH
• Do SH
• Kim HY

• KMID: 2363340
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2016.17.1.97

Abstract

We induced percutaneous spinal cord injuries (SCI) using a balloon catheter in 45 rats and transplanted human umbilical cord blood derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) at the injury site. Locomotor function was significantly improved in hUCB-MSCs transplanted groups. Quantitative ELISA of extract from entire injured spinal cord showed increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). Our results show that treatment of SCI with hUCB-MSCs can improve locomotor functions, and suggest that increased levels of BDNF, NGF and NT-3 in the injured spinal cord were the main therapeutic effect.

Keyword

brain-derived neurotrophic factor; nerve growth factor; neurotrophic factor; neurotrophin-3; spinal cord injury

MeSH Terms

Animals
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/*genetics
*Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Gene Expression Profiling
*Gene Expression Regulation
Humans
Locomotion
Nerve Growth Factor/genetics
Rats
Spinal Cord Injuries/*therapy
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
Nerve Growth Factor

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the injured and treated spinal cord in rats. BDNF expression level decreased consistently from 3 days to 4 weeks after SCI in the CytoCon group. However, expression was maintained at the same level until week 3 after SCI in the CytohUCB group. Results are presented as the mean ± SEM (p < 0.05).

• 

  Fig. 2 Expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in injured and treated spinal cord in the rat. The NGF was consistently decreased from 3 days to 4 weeks after SCI in the CytoCon group. In contrast, the CytohUCB group showed a consistent increase from 3 days to 3 weeks after SCI. At 3 weeks after SCI, there were significant differences between the CytohUCB group and CytoCon group (p < 0.05). The results are presented as the mean ± SEM.*p < 0.05, †p < 0.05.

• 

  Fig. 3 Expression of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in injured and treated spinal cord in the rat. The NT-3 expression in both CytohUCB and CytoCon groups increased 1 week after SCI relative to SCI 3 days after SCI, but in the CytoCon group the level decreased from 2 weeks after SCI until 4 weeks after SCI. However, the CytohUCB group showed consistent levels from 1 week to 4 weeks after SCI, and there was a significant difference between the CytohUCB group and CytoCon group at 2 weeks after SCI (p < 0.05). The results are presented as the mean ± SEM. *p < 0.05

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