title: Co-transplantation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and nanospheres containing FGF-2 improve cell survival and neurological function in the injured rat spinal cord.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating and irreversible event, and much research using fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) has been performed to test its capacity to blunt the effects of SCI as well as to provide an environment conducive for SCI repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested how the in vitro release of FGF-2 from heparin-conjugated poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)-conjugated nanospheres (HCPNs) affected the growth of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs), as well as the effects of their co-transplantation in an animal model of SCI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that sustained, long-term release of FGF-2 from HCPNs significantly increased hBMSCs proliferation in vitro, and that their co-transplantation following rat SCI lead to increased functional improvement, a greater amount of hBMSCs surviving transplantation, and a greater density of neurofilament-positive cells in the injury epicenter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest a proliferative, protective, and neural inductive potential of FGF-2 for transplanted hBMSCs, as well as a possible role for sustained FGF-2 delivery along with hBMSCs transplantation in the injured spinal cord. Future studies will be required to ascertain the safety FGF-2-containing HCPNs before clinical application.
authors.affiliation: Spine and Spinal Cord Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Ah
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Pennant
authors.forename: Do Heum
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Yoon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Keung Nyun
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2