Sufentanil combined with propofol anesthesia as an aid to umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for the treatment of spinal cord injury

Li Wen-liang; Tong Dong-yi

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2016.45.008

Abstract：BACKGROUND:Sufentanil and propofol are both found to have good neuroprotective effects on neurological damage in clinical practice. <br> OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of propofol combined with sufentanil in umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cel s transplantation for the treatment of spinal cord injury. <br> METHODS:Sixty-five Wistar rats were selected to make animal models of acute spinal cord injury using Al en’s method. Six hours after modeling, these rats were randomly assigned into combined group (injection of 2×107/L human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cel suspension (0.5 mL) plus injection of 1.0-1.5 mg/kg propofol and 0.5μg/kg sufentanil via the tail vein), stem cel group (injection of 2×107/L human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cel suspension (0.5 mL) via the tail vein), or control group (injection of 30μL of LDMEM containing 5%fetal bovine serum). S100βprotein level in serum was detected in each group at 15 and 60 minutes after injection. Motor function of rat in each group was assessed by Basso Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) scoring and incline plane test at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks after modeling. Pathological changes of the spinal cord were observed at 4 weeks after modeling. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor was detected using western blot assay at 1 and 2 weeks after modeling. <br> RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After 15 and 60 minutes of intervention, S100βprotein level was lowest in the combined group fol owed by the stem cel and control groups (P<0.05). At 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks after modeling, scores on the incline plane test and BBB were ranked as fol ows:combined group>stem cel group>model group (P<0.05). At 4 weeks after modeling, severe damage to the spinal cord and few nerve fibers were found in the control group;spinal cord hyperplasia and a few of regenerated axons and PKH-26-positive stem cel s appeared in the stem cel group;while in the combined group, there were a large amount of PKH-26-positive stem cel s and nerve axon-like structures. At 1 and 2 weeks after modeling, the highest protein level of vascular endothelial growth factor was found in the combined group fol owed by the stem cel group and control group (P<0.05). To conclude, these findings indicate that propofol and sufentanil in umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cel transplantation therapy can promote the recovery of hindlimb function after spinal cord injury, thereby promoting the functional recovery of rats from spinal cord injury.