Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The effect of single umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) transplantation repair damaged brain tissue is not very satisfactory.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of UC-MSCs transplantation combined with aescine sodium on the treatment of cerebral infarction in rats.
METHODS: The models of cerebral infarction were made by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Rats were divided randomly into control group, UC-MSCs group and Aescine sodium + UC-MSCs group. The concentration of 1×10¹⁰/L UC-MSCs suspension or the concentration of 1 mL cell culture fluid was injected into MCAO models through caudal vein, at the same time,
5 mg/(kg•d) aescine sodium aqueous solution or normal saline was injected into MCAO models through abdominal cavity, for 5 days.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The neurological dysfunction scores in aescine sodium + UC-MSCs group were significantly lower than those in UC-MSCs group and control group at 1 week after transplantation (P < 0.05). RT-PCR approved that the expression of AQP4 and AQP9 mRNA was highest in control group, a few in UC-MSCs group and lowest in aescine sodium + UC-MSCs group (P < 0.05). The number of CM-Dil-positive cells and neurons in aescine sodium + UC-MSCs group was higher than that in UC-MSCs group and control group (P < 0.05). The results suggested that UC-MSCs transplantation combined with aescine sodium can significantly improve neurological function of rats with cerebral infarction.