[Combined transplantation of neurotrophin-3 and neural stem cells in treatment of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of combined transplantation of neurotrophin-3 and neural stem cells in treatment of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in rats, and study the possible mechanism.


METHODS
Neural stem cells (NSCs) isolated from hippocampi of newborn wistar rats were cultured and identified. The hypoxic-ischemic brain injury models established with 7-day-old wistar rats, and neural stem cells or others were transplantated into the ipsilateral ventricles 7 days later. The 7-day-old rats were randomized into 5 groups: normal group, model group, sham-transplantation group, NSCs transplantation group, and NT-3 combined with NSCs transplantation group. There were 12 rats per group. The functional test and immunohistochemistry were examined 4 weeks later.


RESULTS
The neural stem cells from new-born rats' hippocampi were successfully cultured. It was found that they formed typical neurospheres in suspension, and the majorities of cells expressed nestin, which was the marker for neural stem cells. The rats from combined transplantation group performed significantly better in the ability to study and in memory and the limb function than the rats from NSCs transplantation group (P < 0.05). The rate of neural stem cells differentiating into neurons from combined transplantation group was higher, too (50% vs. 30%).


CONCLUSIONS
Combined NT-3 and NSCs transplantation could improve the ability to study, memory and the limb function of rats after hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, and improve the rate of NSCs differentiating neurons. Combined NT-3 and NSCs transplantation had better effects on hypoxic-ischemic rats than transplantation of NSCs alone.
Wang
Li-min
LM
Department of Pediatrics, The First Hospital Affiliated to Jiamusi University, Jiamusi 154003, China.
Wang
Hai-yan
HY
Yang
Zi-jin
ZJ
Zhu
Xiao-feng
XF
Yuan
De-xin
DX
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000628:therapy*; D020933:Neurotrophin 3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation
D020933:Neurotrophin 3