Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Neural stem cells (NSCs) transplantation is widely used in the repair of spinal cord injury (SCI).
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of NSCs transplantation plus hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on repair of rat SCI.  
METHODS: Sixty female rats were divided randomly into three groups: SCI group; NSCs transplantation group; NSCs transplantation+HBO group. Four weeks post-transplantation, histopathology examination and BrdU staining were performed. Eight weeks post-transplantation, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) nerve trace and transmission electron microscope testing and somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) testing were performed. At 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks post-injury, all animals were evaluated for the hind limb behavior with Basso-Beattle-Bresnahan (BBB) score and inclined plane test. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: HRP-labeled neurofibra and BrdU positive cells were found in the spinal cord of the NSCs transplantation+HBO group, some in NSCs transplantation group but few in the SCI group spinal cord injury. SEP testing in the SCI group surpassed that in the NSCs transplantation group (P < 0.05). There was significant difference between spinal cord injury group and NSCs transplantation+ HBO group (P < 0.01). By transmission electron microscope, nerve fibers and myelinated nerve fibers were found in the central transverse plane in the NSCs transplantation group and NSCs transplantation+HBO group. The outcome of functional recovery in the NSCs transplantation+HBO group surpassed that in the NSCs transplantation group. There was significant difference between the NSCs transplantation and NSCs transplantation+ HBO groups (P < 0.05). The outcome of the SCI group was worse than that of the other groups. There was significant difference between the NSCs transplantation group, NSCs transplantation+ HBO group and SCI group (P < 0.05). NSCs transplantation can promote the functional recovery of rat hind limbs after SCI, and its combination with HBO has a synergistic effect.