title: Effect of mesenchymal stem cells transplantation combining with hyperbaric oxygen therapy on rehabilitation of rat spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of BMSCs transplantation plus hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on repair of rat SCI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy five male rats were divided randomly into five groups: sham, vehicle, BMSCs transplantation group, combination group, 15 rats in each group. Every week after the SCI onset, all animals were evaluated for behavior outcome by Basso-Beattle-Bresnahan (BBB) score and inclined plane test. Axon recovery was examined with focal spinal cord tissue by electron microscope at 6 weeks after the SCI onset. HE staining and BrdU staining were performed to examine the BMSCs and lesion post injury. Somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) testing was performed to detect the recovery of neural conduction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results from the behavior tests from combination group were significant higher than rats which received only transplantation or HBO treatment. Results from histopathology showed favorable recovery from combination group than other treatment groups. The number of BrdU(+) in combination group were measureable more than transplantation group (P < 0.05). The greatest decrease in TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-α determined by Elisa assay in combination group were evident too.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMSCs transplantation can promote the functional recovery of rat hind limbs after SCI, and its combination with HBO has a synergistic effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Yan'an Hospital of Kunming City, the Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650051, China; Department of Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Kui
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Tumor Hospital of Yunnan Province & The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650118, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Hua
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Yan'an Hospital of Kunming City, the Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650051, China.
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.affiliation: Department of Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650032, China. Electronic address: 15877990976@163.com.
authors.forename: Hua-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Yu
keywords: Hyperbaric oxygen; Locomotive function; Mesenchymal stem cells; Spinal cord injury; Transplantation