Microencapsulation improves inhibitory effects of transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells on pain after sciatic nerve injury.
Olfactory bulb tissue transplantation inhibits P2X2/3 receptor-mediated neuropathic pain. However, the olfactory bulb has a complex cellular composition, and the mechanism underlying the action of purified transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) remains unclear. In the present study, we microencapsulated OECs in alginic acid, and transplanted free and microencapsulated OECs into the region surrounding the injured sciatic nerve in rat models of chronic constriction injury. We assessed mechanical nociception in the rat models 7 and 14 days after surgery by measuring paw withdrawal threshold, and examined P2X2/3 receptor expression in L4-5 dorsal root ganglia using immunohistochemistry. Rats that received free and microencapsulated OEC transplants showed greater withdrawal thresholds than untreated model rats, and weaker P2X2/3 receptor immunoreactivity in dorsal root ganglia. At 14 days, paw withdrawal threshold was much higher in the microencapsulated OEC-treated animals. Our results confirm that microencapsulated OEC transplantation suppresses P2X2/3 receptor expression in L4-5 dorsal root ganglia in rat models of neuropathic pain and reduces allodynia, and also suggest that transplantation of microencapsulated OECs is more effective than transplantation of free OECs for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China ; Medical Department, Graduate School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Hao
H
Zhao
Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Bao-Lin
BL
Yang
Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Zeng-Xu
0000-0002-8676-2342
ZX
Liu
Library, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Qing
Q
Yu
Medical Department, Graduate School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Wen-Jun
WJ
Zhang
Medical Office, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Keng
K
Yuan
Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Hui-Hong
HH
Zeng
Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Gao-Chun
GC
Zhu
Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
De-Ming
DM
Liu
Medical Department, Graduate School, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Qing
Q
Li
NSFC grant; P2X2/3 receptor; cell transplantation; dorsal root ganglion; microencapsulation; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neuropathic pain; olfactory ensheathing cells; peripheral nerve injury; sciatic chronic constriction injury; sciatic nerve