Longitudinal electrophysiological changes after mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in a spinal cord injury rat model

PLoS One. 2022 Aug 5;17(8):e0272526. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272526. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Transcranial electrically stimulated motor-evoked potentials (tcMEPs) are widely used to evaluate motor function in humans and animals. However, the relationship between tcMEPs and the recovery of paralysis remains unclear. We previously reported that transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells to a spinal cord injury (SCI) rat model resulted in various degrees of recovery from paraplegia. As a continuation of this work, in the present study, we aimed to establish the longitudinal electrophysiological changes in this SCI rat model after mesenchymal stem cell transplantation. SCI rats were established using the weight-drop method. The model rats were transvenously transplanted with two types of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), one derived from rat cranial bones and the other from the bone marrow of the femur and tibia bone, 24 h after SCI. A phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) group that received only PBS was also created for comparison. The degree of paralysis was evaluated over 28 days using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) scale and inclined plane task score. Extended tcMEPs were recorded using a previously reported bone-thinning technique, and the longitudinal electrophysiological changes in tcMEPs were investigated. In addition, the relationship between the time course of recovery from paralysis and reappearance of tcMEPs was revealed. The appearance of the tcMEP waveform was earlier in MSC-transplanted rats than in PBS-administered rats (earliest date was 7 days after SCI). The MEP waveforms also appeared at approximately the same level on the BBB scale (average score, 11 points). Ultimately, this study can help enhance our understanding of the relationship between neural regeneration and tcMEP recording. Further application of tcMEP in regenerative medicine research is expected.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation* / methods
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells* / metabolism
  • Paralysis / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Recovery of Function / physiology
  • Spinal Cord
  • Spinal Cord Injuries*

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS KAKENHI grant number 18K16561 and 21K16609). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.