Fibroblast growth factor-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells promote functional recovery from traumatic brain injury

Li Xue-dong; Chen Jia-kang; Qin Jun; Mai Yong-jun; Xiao Zhen-yong

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2015.45.012

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels (BMSCs) can promote nerve regeneration, but there are no better results because of the limitations of treatment methods. BMSC transplantation alone is not enough to achieve desired therapeutic effects. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-modified BMSC transplantation on functional recovery and expression of glial fibrilary acidic protein after traumatic brain injury. METHODS:Animal models of traumatic brain injury were established in Sprague-Dawley rats using hydraulic shock method, and then randomized into control group (traumatic brain injury group), BMSC group and FGF-BMSC group (FGF-modified BMSC group). After isolation and culture, BMSCs were modified by adenovirus vector-mediated FGF gene. Western blot assay was used to detect transfection efficiency and glial fibrilary acidic protein expression; immunohistochemical detection was used to detect distribution and number of BrdU positive cels in the brain; Longa score was used to evaluate the neurologic function of rats at 1, 3 days, 1, 2 weeks after transplantation; TUNEL assay was used to detect cel apoptosis in the brain. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Western blot results showed that FGF gene was successfuly transferred to the adenovirus vector, and capable of expressing in BMSCs; moreover, the glial fibrilary acidic protein expression of FGF-BMSC group was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (P < 0.05). The number of BrdU positive cels in the brain was significantly higher in the FGF-BMSC group than the other two groups (P < 0.05). Two weeks after transplantation, the Longa scores in the FGF-BMSC group were significantly lower than those in the other two groups (P < 0.05). TUNEL results showed that the number of apoptotic cels in the FGF-BMSC group was significantly lower than that in the other two groups (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that FGF-modified BMSCs transplantation is able to improve neurological damage after traumatic brain injury and promote neurological recovery, which is better than BMSC transplantation alone.