Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2015, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (1): 104-111.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.150715

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Biodegradable chitin conduit tubulation combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for treatment of spinal cord injury by  reducing glial scar and cavity formation

Feng Xue 1, #, Er-jun Wu 2, #, Pei-xun Zhang 1, #, Li-ya A 1, Yu-hui Kou 1, *, Xiao-feng Yin 1, *, Na Han 3, *   

  1. 1 Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
    2 Graduate School of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, China
    3 Central Laboratory, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, China
  • Received:2014-12-10 Online:2015-01-15 Published:2015-01-15
  • Contact: Na Han, Ph.D., 876804705@qq.com. Yu-hui Kou, Ph.D., kouyuhui@163.com. Xiao-feng Yin, Ph.D., xiaofengyin@bjmu.edu.cn.
  • Supported by:

    This study was supported by grants from the National Program on Key Basic Research Project of China (973 Program), No. 2014CB542201; Program for Innovative Research Team in University of Ministry of Education of China, No. IRT1201; the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 31271284, 31171150, 81171146, 30971526, 31100860, 31040043; Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of Ministry of Education of China, No. BMU20110270; the Natural Science Foundation of Beijing of China, No. 7142164.

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Abstract:

We examined the restorative effect of modified biodegradable chitin conduits in combination with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation after right spinal cord hemisection injury. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that biological conduit sleeve bridging reduced glial scar formation and spinal muscular atrophy after spinal cord hemisection. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells survived and proliferated after transplantation in vivo, and differentiated into cells double-positive for S100 (Schwann cell marker) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (glial cell marker) at 8 weeks. Retrograde tracing showed that more nerve fibers had grown through the injured spinal cord at 14 weeks after combination therapy than either treatment alone. Our findings indicate that a biological conduit combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation effectively prevented scar formation and provided a favorable local microenvironment for the proliferation, migration and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the spinal cord, thus promoting restoration following spinal cord hemisection injury.

Key words: nerve regeneration, spinal cord injury, spinal cord hemisection, biological conduit, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, stem cells, transmission electron microscope, cell transplantation, neurons, nerve fibers, NSFC grants, neural regeneration