Functional Recovery of Neuronal Activity in Rat Whisker-Barrel Cortex Sensory Pathway from Freezing Injury after Transplantation of Adult Bone Marrow Stromal Cells

Abstract

The effect of transplantation of adult bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) into the freeze-lesioned left barrel field cortex in the rat was investigated by measurement of local cerebral glucose utilization (lCMR(glc)) in the anatomic structures of the whisker-to-barrel cortex sensory pathway. Bone marrow stromal cells or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were injected intracerebrally into the boundary zone 1 h after induction of the freezing cortical lesion. Three weeks after surgery, the 2-[(14)C]deoxyglucose method was used to measure lCMR(glc) during right whisker stimulation. The volume of the primary necrotic freezing lesion was significantly reduced (P<0.05), and secondary retrograde degeneration in the left ventral posteromedial (VPM) thalamic nucleus was diminished in the MSC-treated group. Local cerebral glucose utilization measurements showed that the freezing cortical lesion did not alter the metabolic responses to stimulation in the brain stem trigeminal nuclei, but eliminated the responses in the left VPM nucleus and periphery of the barrel cortex in the PBS-treated group. The left/right (stimulated/unstimulated) lCMR(glc) ratios were significantly improved in both the VPM nucleus and periphery of the barrel cortex in the MSC-treated group compared with the PBS-treated group (P<0.05). These results indicate that MSC transplantation in adults may stimulate metabolic and functional recovery in injured neuronal pathways.

Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Transplantation Enhances Recovery of Local Glucose Metabolism After Cerebral Infarction in Rats: A Serial 18F-FDG PET Study

“…Only a few studies have been run to elucidate the effect of BMSC transplantation on brain function. Using an autoradiography technique, Mori et al found that BMSC transplantation significantly improved glucose metabolism in the thalamus and barrel cortex in response to whisker stimulation after neocortical freezing injury (19). We also showed that BMSC transplantation significantly improved the binding potential of 125 Iiomazenil, a radioactive ligand selective for the central type of benzodiazepine receptor, in the periinfarct area.…”

“…Other recent studies have suggested that MRI and optical imaging might provide useful information on the engraftment of BMSCs in the host CNS (14)(15)(16)(17)(18). However, there are few studies that indicate the utility of an imaging technique to monitor the response of the host CNS after cell therapy (19)(20)(21).…”

Effects of local administration of allogenic adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells on functional recovery in experimental traumatic brain injury

“…It is believed that this test is superior to the Rogers test because the score is assigned in a more objective manner. In similar studies, functional improvement in rotarod test has been demonstrated when bone marrow derived MSC (MSC-bm) [40][41][42][43] or adipose tissue-derived MSC (MSC-a) [23] were used.…”

Comparative analysis of differentiation and behavior of human neural and mesenchymal stem cells In Vitro and In Vivo

“…After neurotransplantation MSC react to the brain microenvironment signals and differentiate into glia and neurons [1,13]. Moreover, numerous studies showed that after intravenous or intracerebral transplantation MSC promote restoration and regeneration of the nervous tissue in injuries to the brain and spinal cord, though the mechanisms of their effect are virtually unknown [3,12,13,25].…”