Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2019, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (34): 5454-5461.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.1445

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Collagen/heparin sulfate scaffold combined with neural stem cells promote motor function recovery after spinal cord injury

Cao Zongrui1, Zheng Bo1, Zhong Lin2, Hu Liangcong3, Zhang Xiuli1, Qu bo1, Jiang Tao1
  

  1. 1Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, Sichuan Province, China; 2Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650101, Yunan Province, China; 3Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China
  • Received:2019-05-22 Online:2019-12-08 Published:2019-12-08
  • Contact: Jiang Tao, Chief physician, Associate professor, Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, Sichuan Province, China
  • About author:Cao Zongrui, Attending physician, Lecturer, Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, Sichuan Province, China
  • Supported by:

    Sichuan Provincial Department of Education-Supported Project, No. 15AZ0265 (to JT)

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Abstract:

Abstract
BACKGROUND: In recent years, collagen/heparin sulfate scaffolds have been used as nerve tissue engineering scaffolds in the repair of peripheral nerves, spinal cords, and brain injury.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of collagen/heparin sulfate scaffold combined with neural stem cells on motor function recovery after spinal cord injury.
METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rat neural stem cells were inoculated on a collagen/heparin sulfate scaffold for 7 days to construct a cell-scaffold complex. Sixty adult female Sprague-Dawley rats (purchased from Chengdu Dashuo Biotechnology Co., Ltd., China) were randomly divided into four groups with 15 rats in each group. In the sham operation group, only T10 lamina was removed. In the model group, rat models of spinal cord injury were stablished by removing 1.5 mm long spinal cord at the level of T10 lamina. In the scaffold group, collagen/heparin sulfate scaffolds were implanted in the spinal cord injury sites. In the cell-scaffold complex group, collagen/heparin sulfate scaffold-neural stem cells complex was implanted into the injury site. At postoperative 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 weeks, BBB score and oblique plate test were performed to evaluate the recovery of limb function in rats. At postoperative 8 weeks, the motor evoked potentials of rat hind limbs were detected and the recovery of motor function was evaluated. At postoperative 8 weeks, a nuclear magnetic scan was performed on the spinal cord injury site, and a diffusion tensor imaging image was obtained to observe nerve fiber regeneration. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College, China.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At postoperative 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 weeks, the BBB score and oblique plate test angle in the cell-scaffold complex group were significantly greater than those in the model and scaffold groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The amplitude of motor evoked potential in the rat hind limbs in the cell-scaffold group was significantly higher than that in the model and scaffold groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The latency in the cell-scaffold group was significantly shorter than that in the model and scaffold groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Diffusion tensor imaging revealed that nerve fibers were intact in the sham operation group and the nerve fibers around the lesions in the model group lacked continuity in different directions. In the scaffold and cell-scaffold groups, a large number of nerve fibers passed through the lesion area. The number of nerve fibers passing through the lesion area in the cell-scaffold group was higher than that in the scaffold group. These results suggest that collagen/heparin sulfate scaffold combined with neural stem cells can promote the regeneration of nerve fibers in the spinal cord injury area and improve the motor function of rat hind limbs.

Key words: spinal cord injury, collagen, heparin sulfate, collagen/heparin sulfate scaffold, neural stem cells, nerve regeneration, functional recovery, diffusion tensor

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