title: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor-modified umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell transplantation improves neurological deficits in rats with traumatic brain injury.
abstract: This study explored the effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene-modified umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (UCMSC) transplantation on neurological functional improvement in rats after brain trauma. A rat model of cerebral contusion in the motor-sensory cortex was established by the weight hammer-falling method. UCMSCs were cultured and transferred with BDNF gene. After determining BDNF expression and activity, the BDNF gene-modified UCMSCs were implanted into brains of rats receiving the brain injury. The neurological function was evaluated 1 and 2 weeks after brain injury. BDNF expression was then determined by immunohistochemistry. Severe neurological dysfunction was observed in animals subjected to contusion brain injury (10.50 ± 0.53). A significant improvement in neurological function was found in the UCMSC transplantation animals (7.75 ± 0.71) compared with the brain injury only group (p < 0.01). Rats with BDNF gene-modified UCMSCs showed the highest improvement in behavior (5.50 ± 0.76; p < 0.01). BDNF gene-modified UCMSCs can survive and migrate in rat cerebral tissues. The transplantation of these UCMSCs can improve the neurological functions of rats with traumatic brain injury.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Neurosurgery, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Shumao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Zhaoming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Qiqin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Dan
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D014470:Umbilical Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
keywords: BDNF; contusion brain injury; neurological function improvement; umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSC)