Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2012, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (27): 5076-5080.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2012.27.026

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Effects of ulinastatin application combined with umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transplantation on changes in motor evoked potential and motor function of hindlimbs in rats with spinal cord injury

Zhang Zhan-xiu1, Li Zhi-yuan1, Shen Yong2   

  1. 1Department of Joint Orthopedics, Xingtai People’s Hospital, Xingtai 050051, Hebei Province, China;
    2Department Spinal Orthopedics, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Xingtai 050051, Hebei Province, China
  • Received:2011-12-08 Revised:2012-01-08 Online:2012-07-01 Published:2013-11-01
  • Contact: Shen Yong, M.D., Chief physician, Department Spinal Orthopedics, the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Xingtai 050051, Hebei Province, China
  • About author:Zhang Zhan-xiu, Chief physician, Department of Joint Orthopedics, Xingtai People’s Hospital, Xingtai 050051, Hebei Province, China myarcher@126.com

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Ulinastatin can reduce the inflammatory response, and get rid of oxygen free radicals. Ulinastatin has a protective effect on the central nervous system injury, and can effectively increase the survival rate of transplanted cells after spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transplantation and ulinastatin on the repair of motor function of hindlimbs in rats with spinal cord injury.
METHODS: Wistar rats were used to establish the spinal cord injury models and the models were randomly divided into four groups: control group, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells group, ulinastatin group and combination group. The models in the control group underwent tail vein injection of culture medium and intraperitoneal injection of normal saline. The umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells group was injected with umbilical cord-matrix stem cells via the tail vein. The ulinastatin group underwent intraperitoneal injection of ulinastatin and the combination group underwent tail vein injection of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and intraperitoneal injection of ulinastatin.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At 4 weeks after transplantation, the function of rat hindlimbs in the combination group was superior to that in the umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transplantation group and the ulinastatin group (P < 0.05), and the hindlimb function was superior in the umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transplantation group and the ulinastatin group to that in the control group (P < 0.05). The number of PKH26-positive cells in the combination group was greater than that in the umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transplantation group, and the number was also significantly greater in the umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transplantation group than that in the ulinastatin group and control group (P < 0.01). At 8 weeks after transplantation, the latency and amplitude of somatosensory evoked potential and motor evoked potential in the combination group were significantly better than those in the other three groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transplantation combined with the ulinastatin can promote the regeneration of nerve synapses in rats with spinal cord injury, and can improve their motor function and electrophysiological function. The umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells transplantation combined with the ulinastatin produces better effects than single use in repair of motor function of hundlimbs of rats with spinal cord injury.

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