Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Combined cell transplantation, NgR gene silencing and poly-lactic acid-glycolic acid (PLGA) scaffolds have become the research focus of spinal cord injury repair in recent years.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of the growth and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)/Schwann cells in poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) membrane after NgR gene silencing.
METHODS: After BMSCs and Schwann cells were isolated, purified and amplified, the two kinds of cells were transfected by small interfering RNA to silence NgR gene expression. The NgR gene/protein expressions in the two kinds of cells before and after transfection were detected by reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot methods. Under serum conditions, the cells were divided into BMSCs group, Schwann cells group and combination group (all untransfected cells as controls, six groups in total). Then, the cells were inoculated onto the PLGA membrane, and their adhesion, growth and differentiation were observed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The NgR gene and protein expressions of the experimental group were significantly decreased after small interfering RNA transfection (P < 0.05). Compared with the untransfected cells groups after culture, a large number of implanted cells adhered and grew on the PLGA membrane in NgR gene silencing groups. These findings suggest that NgR gene silencing can promote BMSCs/Schwann cells adhesion, growth and differentiation.