Human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for cerebral infarction

Sun Jing-jing; Song Nai-guang; Zhang Yao-long; Gao Shu-huan; Sun Cai-yue; Xue Jian; He Yong-gui; Xi Jin-kun; Zhang Guo-bin

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2015.41.019

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) has the ability to enhance cel proliferation, maintain telomere length, prolonged cel life cultured in vitro. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of hTERT gene-modified bone marrow mesechymal stem cel transplantation on neural function recovery of rats with cerebral infarction. METHODS:Rat models of middle cerebral artery occlusion were established and randomized into model group, cel transplantation group and hTERT-modified cel transplantation group, with 20 rats in each group. Rats in the three groups were respectively injected via tail vein with 1 mL PBS, passage 9 bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel suspension (2.5×107/L) and hTERT-modified passage 9 bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel suspension (2.5×107/L), respectively. Modified neurological severity scores were determined before and after transplantation; RT-PCR and western blot assay were used to measure hTERT expression at gene and protein levels; TUNEL method was adopted to detect cel apoptosis in the brain. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:hTERT-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels had prolonged cel cycle, and with the increase in passage number, the cels showed good growth with no changes in morphology. The expressions of hTERT mRNA and protein were superior in the hTERT-modified cel transplantation group than the cel transplantation group, and there was a significant difference (P < 0.05). Modified neurological severity scores and number of apoptotic cels were decreased significantly in the hTERT-modified cel transplantation group compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that hTERT-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels can promote neural functional recovery of rats with cerebral infarction.