Aim: To investigate the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) transplantation on the recovery of neurological functions and the expression of synaptophysin in focal cerebral infarction in rats.
Methods: 72 male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (18 in each group): shamoperated group, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) roup,vehicle group and MCAO+BMSC-treated group. A permanent focal cerebral ischemia model was established using modified Longa's method. BMSC was labeled by DAPI before the transplantation. One day after right middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO), 1 x 10(6) cells were injected into the lateral ventricle of rats in BMSCs-treated group and the same dose of PBS was given to the rats in vehicle group. Before sacrificed and at 4 d, 7 d and 14 d after MCAO, the neurological functions were tested by balance beam, rota-rod and screen prehensile and the synaptophysin was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical method.
Results: DAPI stained positive cells were observed around the cerebral infarcted area in the BMSC-treated group. Compared with the MCAO group and the vehicle group,the neurological functions in BMSC-treated group were better on 7 d and 14 d after MCAO (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the synaptophysin around the cerebral infarcted area was significantly upregulated on 4 d, 7 d and 14 d after MCAO (all P<0.01).
Conclusion: BMSC transplantation can improve the neurological functions by upregulating the expression of synaptophysin after MCAO in rats.