title: Oscillating field stimulation promotes spinal cord remyelination by inducing differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells after spinal cord injury.
abstract: Demyelination is part of the cascading secondary injury after the primary insult and contributes to the loss of function after spinal cord injury (SCI). Oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are the main remyelinating cells in the central nervous system (CNS). We explored whether oscillating field stimulation (OFS) could efficiently promote OPC differentiation and improve remyelination after SCI. SD rats with SCI induced by the Allen method were randomly divided into two groups, the SCI+OFS group and SCI group. The former group received active stimulator units and the latter group received sham (inoperative) stimulator units. Additionally, rats that only received laminectomy were referred as the sham group. The electric field intensity was 600 μV/mm, and the polarity was alternated every 15 minutes. The results showed that the SCI+OFS rats had significantly less demyelination and better locomotor function recovery after 12-weeks treatment. The OFS treatment significantly increased the number of Gal C-positive OPCs after 2-weeks treatment. Furthermore, these rats had higher protein expression of oligodendroglial transcription factors Olig2 and NKx2.2. These findings suggest OFS can promote locomotor recovery and remyelination in SCI rats and this effect may be related to the improved differentiation of OPCs in the spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetism, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 6 Beiertiao, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetism, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 6 Beiertiao, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Guanghao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital of Tsinghua University, Tiantongyuan, Changping District, Beijing, 102218, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetism, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 6 Beiertiao, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetism, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 6 Beiertiao, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Changzhe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetism, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 6 Beiertiao, Zhongguancun, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D000090322:Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.2; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000473:pathology*; D009991:Oscillometry / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D062187:Spinal Cord Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Oligodendrocyte precursor cells; oscillating field stimulation; rat; remyelination; spinal cord injury