Spinal cord injury in rat: treatment with bone marrow stromal cell transplantation

• Published in: Neuroreport Vol. 11; no. 13; p. 3001
• Main Authors: Chopp, M, Zhang, X H, Li, Y, Wang, L, Chen, J, Lu, D, Lu, M, Rosenblum, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 11.09.2000
• Subjects: Animals; Bone Marrow Transplantation - methods; Cell Movement - physiology; Cell Survival - physiology; Cells, Cultured - transplantation; Gait Disorders, Neurologic - etiology; Gait Disorders, Neurologic - physiopathology; Gait Disorders, Neurologic - surgery; Locomotion - physiology; Male; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recovery of Function - physiology; Spinal Cord Injuries - complications; Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology; Spinal Cord Injuries - surgery; Stromal Cells - transplantation; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0959-4965
• DOI: 10.1097/00001756-200009110-00035

We tested the hypothesis that transplantation of bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) into the spinal cord after a contusion injury promotes functional outcome. Rats (n = 31) were subjected to a weight driven implant injury. MSCs or phosphate buffered saline was injected into the spinal cord 1 week after injury. Sections of tissue were analyzed by double-labeled immunohistochemistry for MSC identification. Functional outcome measurements using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnehan score were performed weekly to 5 weeks post-injury. The data indicate significant improvement in functional outcome in animals treated with MSC transplantation compared to control animals. Scattered cells derived from MSCs expressed neural protein markers. These data suggest that transplantation of MSCs may have a therapeutic role after spinal cord injury.