title: Propofol injection combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation better improves electrophysiological function in the hindlimb of rats with spinal cord injury than monotherapy.
abstract: The repair effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on nervous system damage are not satisfactory. Propofol has been shown to protect against spinal cord injury. Therefore, this study sought to explore the therapeutic effects of their combination on spinal cord injury. Rat models of spinal cord injury were established using the weight drop method. Rats were subjected to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation via tail vein injection and/or propofol injection via tail vein using an infusion pump. Four weeks after cell transplantation and/or propofol treatment, the cavity within the spinal cord was reduced. The numbers of PKH-26-positive cells and horseradish peroxidase-positive nerve fibers apparently increased in the spinal cord. Latencies of somatosensory evoked potentials and motor evoked potentials in the hindlimb were noticeably shortened, amplitude was increased and hindlimb motor function was obviously improved. Moreover, the combined effects were better than cell transplantation or propofol injection alone. The above data suggest that the combination of propofol injection and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation can effectively improve hindlimb electrophysiological function, promote the recovery of motor funtion, and play a neuroprotective role in spinal cord injury in rats.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Orthopedics, Tangshan Worker's Hospital Affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Yue-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tangshan Union Medical College Hospital, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Operating Room, Tangshan Worker's Hospital Affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: First Department of Orthopedics, Tangshan Worker's Hospital Affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tangshan Worker's Hospital Affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Xingtai People's Hospital Affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Xingtai, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Jing
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: First Department of Orthopedics, Tangshan Worker's Hospital Affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Tangshan, Hebei Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells; cell transplantation; electrophysiology; motor function; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neuroprotection; propofol; spinal cord injury; stem cells