Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Local intramuscular injection of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) is often used in the treatment of diabetic lower limb ischemia as well as animal experiments.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the intravenous and local injection of umbilical cord blood progenitor cells effects on diabetic lower limb ischemia.
METHODS: Wistar male rats were divided into five groups: ①Diabetic rats with tail intravenous EPC transplantation following ligation of bilateral hind femoral artery (diabetes+ligation+intravenous injection, DLV); ②Diabetic rats with local EPC transplantation into the right hind limb following ligation of bilateral hind femoral artery (diabetes+ligation+intramuscular injection, DLM); ③Normal rats with tail intravenous EPC transplantation following ligation of bilateral hind femoral artery (normal+ligation+intravenous injection, NLV); ④Diabetic rats with ligation of bilateral hind femoral artery (diabetes+ligation+control, DLC); ⑤Diabetic rats without transplantation and ligation (diabetes+control, DC). EPCs were traced with green fluorescence, the capillary number among muscle fibers was measured using hematoxylin-eosin staining, and RT-PCR detection was performed for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA level.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Gastrocnemius ulcers and ischemia in the Right hind limb was obvious improved in the DLV group as compared with DLM group, but there was no significant difference. The expression of fluorescence in the DLV and DLM groups was similar. The capillary number was higher in the DLV group than the DLM group, but there was no significant difference. VEGF mRNA levels had no difference between the DLV and DLM groups (P > 0.05). The findings indicate that the therapeutic effects of umbilical cord blood progenitor cells via tail intravenous and local injection are similar.