Therapeutic Benefit Of Intravenous Administration Of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells After Spinal Cord Injury In Adult Rats

Objective To tested the hypothesis that intravenous administration of bone marrow stromal cells promote restoration of injured spinal cord and improve neurological function after spinal cord injury in adult rats.Methods Rat bone marrow stromal cells(rMSCs) from adult rats were cultured in vitro, their specific cellular surface marker were analysed with flow cytometer. Rats were subjected to a weight driven implant injury. rMSCs or phosphate buffered saline was infused into vein 3 days after injury. Functional outcome measurements using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnehan Score were performed 24 hours post –injury and 1 week and 3weeks and 5 weeks post –transplantation. Sections of tissue were analyzed with immunohistochemistry and electron microscope.Results rMSCs could adhere to tissue culture plastic wall and were polymorphic. After p5 culture, 1~2×1011 cells were obtained, these cells showed CD29,CD90 postive and CD34,CD45 negative. After transplantation, rMSCs survived and were localized to the injured area of spinal cord, and a few cells expressed NSE,NF,MAP2,and significant neurological function improvement in rats treated with rMSCs transplantation compared with the control group. The local lesion of injured spinal cord was smaller in the treated group than that of the control group. Basso-Beattie-Bresnehan Score in the treated group was higher than it in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions Rat bone marrow stromal cells retain the capacity of stem cells and can expand rapidly in vitro. Transplanted rMSCs are able to survive and localize to the injured area of spinal cord ,and a few transplanted cells express phenotype of nerve cell. intravenous administration of rMSCs promote restoration of injured spinal cord and improve neurological function.