Intrathecal implantation of microencapsulated PC12 cells reduces cold allodynia in a rat model of neuropathic pain.
The transplantation of cells into the central nervous system provides a constant and replenishable source of analgesic substances for the alleviation of chronic pain. In the present study, PC12 cells were microencapsulated in a semipermeable membrane that protected the cells from the host's immune system. A chronic neuropathic pain model was induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in rats. Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats with CCI were divided randomly into two groups: the cell-loaded group received microencapsulated PC12 cells (n = 15) and the control group received empty capsules (n = 15). The microcapsules were implanted into the lumbar subarachnoid space. After implantation, a significant reduction of cold allodynia was observed in the rats of the cell-loaded group at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days compared to the control group with the empty capsules (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the levels of catecholamines and met-enkephalin in the cerebrospinal fluid of rats in the cell-loaded group were higher than the levels in the controls (P < 0.05). These results suggest that intrathecal microencapsulated PC12 cells could be a useful method for chronic neuropathic pain management.
Pain Treatment Centre of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
Shaoling
S
Wu
Chao
C
Ma
Guoqi
G
Li
Mingquan
M
Mai
Yuanyuan
Y
Wu
D000818:Animals; D002214:Capsules / Q000378:metabolism; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000601:surgery*; D016716:PC12 Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology
D002214:Capsules