Objective: To explore the high-efficiency and low-risk prevention and treatment strategies for stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) for high-altitude cerebral oedema.
Methods: A low-pressure and low-oxygen tank mimicking high-altitude conditions was used to establish the high-altitude cerebral oedema animal model. The preventive effects of SHED for cerebral oedema were then evaluated by haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and histological staining. In vitro, SHED was co-cultured with BV-2 to analyse the effects of SHED by western blot and immunofluorescence staining.
Results: SHED can prevent and treat cerebral oedema in a high altitude rat animal model. Mechanistically, SHED treatment can protect brain cells from apoptosis induced by high altitude condition. Moreover, SHED treatment can inhibit M1-type polarisation and promote M2-type polarisation of microglia cells via the suppression of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)- 1α-mediated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling activated in high altitude condition.
Conclusion: SHED treatment can relieve high-altitude cerebral oedema via inhibiting HIF- 1α-mediated ERK signalling, which indicates that SHED is a promising alternative strategy to prevent and treat high-altitude cerebral oedema.
Keywords: SHED; cerebral oedema; microglia; polarisation; stem cells.