Transplantation of human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells from Wharton's jelly after complete transection of the rat spinal cord.
BACKGROUND
Human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs) isolated from Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord can be easily obtained and processed compared with embryonic or bone marrow stem cells. These cells may be a valuable source in the repair of spinal cord injury.


RESULTS
We examine the effects of HUMSC transplantation after complete spinal cord transection in rats. Approximately 5x10(5) HUMSCs were transplanted into the lesion site. Three groups of rats were implanted with either untreated HUMSCs (referred to as the stem cell group), or HUMSCs treated with neuronal conditioned medium (NCM) for either three days or six days (referred to as NCM-3 and NCM-6 days, respectively). The control group received no HUMSCs in the transected spinal cord. Three weeks after transplantation, significant improvements in locomotion were observed in all the three groups receiving HUMSCs (stem cell, NCM-3 and NCM-6 days groups). This recovery was accompanied by increased numbers of regenerated axons in the corticospinal tract and neurofilament-positive fibers around the lesion site. There were fewer microglia and reactive astrocytes in both the rostral and caudal stumps of the spinal cord in the stem cell group than in the control group. Transplanted HUMSCs survived for 16 weeks and produced large amounts of human neutrophil-activating protein-2, neurotrophin-3, basic fibroblast growth factor, glucocorticoid induced tumor necrosis factor receptor, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 in the host spinal cord, which may help spinal cord repair.


CONCLUSIONS
Transplantation of HUMSCs is beneficial to wound healing after spinal cord injury in rats.
Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chang-Ching
CC
Yang
Yang-Hsin
YH
Shih
Miau-Hwa
MH
Ko
Shao-Yun
SY
Hsu
Henrich
H
Cheng
Yu-Show
YS
Fu
D000818:Animals; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000166:cytology