Transplantation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells that Overexpress NT-3 Produce Motor Improvements without Axonal Regeneration following Complete Spinal Cord Transections in Rats.

This study compared several transplantation paradigms using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that overexpress the multi-neurotrophin, NT-3/D15A (NT-3-MSCs), to determine if different grafting strategies can elicit improved axon regeneration and/or behavioral outcomes following a complete T9 spinal transection. At one week post-transection, NT-3-MSCs were transplanted above, and at several locations below, the lesion site. A rostral-to-caudal gradient of NT-3-MSCs was produced by incrementally increasing the number of transplanted cells at locations distal to the transection. Motor function was analyzed using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scale for 7-weeks post-injury. The corticospinal tract was traced using biotinylated dextran amines, while raphespinal fibers were visualized using immunohistochemistry. Cell viability was assessed using transplants of NT-3-MSCs that express tdTomato. Retrograde tracing using fluorogold, as well as spinal re-transections, were performed to discriminate between a supra-spinal or reflexive influence of regained motor functions. NT-3-MSC transplants improved motor outcomes and tissue continuity at the transection site, however retrograde tracing using fluorogold revealed no evidence of axon regeneration. A spinal re-transection also failed to eliminate the improvement in motor outcomes produced by the transplant. We conclude that transplantation of NT-3-MSCs can improve motor function and morphological outcomes following a complete spinal trans...
Source: Brain Research - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Brain Res Source Type: research