Neural Stem Cell-Laden Self-Healing Polysaccharide Hydrogel Transplantation Promotes Neurogenesis and Functional Recovery after Cerebral Ischemia in Rats

• Published in: ACS applied bio materials Vol. 4; no. 4; pp. 3046 - 3054
• Main Authors: Zheng, Juan, Wei, Zhao, Yang, Kuan, Lu, Yang, Lu, Pan, Zhao, Jingyi, Du, Yin, Zhang, Hong, Li, Rong, Lei, Shan, Lv, Haixia, Chen, Xinlin, Liu, Yong, Chen, Yong Mei, Zhang, Qiqing, Zhang, Pengbo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 19.04.2021
• Subjects: Animals; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biocompatible Materials - pharmacology; Brain Ischemia - drug therapy; Brain Ischemia - pathology; Hydrogels - chemistry; Hydrogels - pharmacology; Male; Materials Testing; Neural Stem Cells - drug effects; Neural Stem Cells - pathology; Neurogenesis - drug effects; Particle Size; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Polysaccharides - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Recovery of Function; hydrogel; neural stem cells; cerebral ischemia; injury repair; vascular endothelial growth factor
• ISSN: 2576-6422; 2576-6422
• DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c00934

Exploring a strategy to effectively repair cerebral ischemic injury is a critical requirement for neuroregeneration. Herein, we transplanted a neural stem cell (NSC)-laden self-healing and injectable hydrogel into the brains of ischemic rats and evaluated its therapeutic effects. We observed an improvement in neurological functions in rats transplanted with the NSC-laden hydrogel. This strategy is sufficiently efficient to support neuroregeneration evidenced by NSC proliferation, differentiation, and athletic movement recovery of rats. This therapeutic effect relates to the inhibition of the astrocyte reaction and the increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor. This work provides a novel approach to repair cerebral ischemic injury.