Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2020, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (12): 2306-2317.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.284997

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Human adipose tissue- and umbilical cord-derived stem cells: which is a better alternative to treat spinal cord injury?

Ai-Mei Liu 1 , Bo-Li Chen 1 , Ling-Tai Yu 1 , Tao Liu 1 , Ling-Ling Shi 1 , Pan-Pan Yu 1 , Yi-Bo Qu 1, 3 , Kwok-Fai So 1, 2, 3, Li-Bing Zhou 1, 2, 3   

  1. 1 Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
    2 Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
    3 Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Online:2020-12-15 Published:2020-08-05
  • Contact: Li-Bing Zhou, PhD,tlibingzh@jnu.edu.cn; Kwok-Fai So, PhD, hrmaskf@hku.hk.
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by Guangdong grant ‘Key Technologies for Treatment of Brain Disorders’, No. 2018B030332001 (to LBZ); Health and Medical Collaborative Innovation Major Projects of Guangzhou of China, Nos. 201803040016-2 (to LBZ), 201604046028 (to LBZ and KFS); Science & Technology Planning and Key Technology Innovation Projects of Guangdong Province of China, No. 2014B050504006 (to LBZ), Programme of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities of China, No. B14036 (to KFS), and Science and Technology Plan Project of Guangdong Province of China, No. 2017B090904033 (to KFS).

PDF

38

Abstract: Multiple types of stem cells have been proposed for the treatment of spinal cord injury, but their comparative information remains elusive. In this study, a rat model of T10 contusion spinal cord injury was established by the impactor method. Human umbilical cord-derived mesen- chymal stem cells (UCMSCs) or human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) (2.5 μL/injection site, 1 × 10 5 cells/μL) was injected on rostral and caudal of the injury segment on the ninth day after injury. Rats injected with mesenchymal stem cell culture medium were used as controls. Our results show that although transplanted UCMSCs and ADMSCs failed to differentiate into neurons or glial cells in vivo, both significantly improved motor and sensory function. After spinal cord injury, UCMSCs and ADMSCs similarly promoted spinal neuron survival and axonal regeneration, decreased glial scar and lesion cavity formation, and reduced numbers of active macrophages. Bio- Plex analysis of spinal samples showed a specific increase of interleukin-10 and decrease of tumor necrosis factor α in the ADMSC group, as well as a downregulation of macrophage inflammatory protein 3α in both UCMSC and ADMSC groups at 3 days after cell transplantation. Upregulation of interleukin-10 and interleukin-13 was observed in both UCMSC and ADMSC groups at 7 days after cell transplantation. Isobaric tagging for relative and absolute quantitation proteomics analyses showed that UCMSCs and ADMSCs induced changes of multiple genes related to axonal regeneration, neurotrophy, and cell apoptosis in common and specific manners. In conclusion, UCMSC and ADMSC transplants yielded quite similar contributions to motor and sensory recovery after spinal cord injury via anti-inflammation and improved axonal growth. However, there were some differences in cytokine and gene expression induced by these two types of transplanted cells. Animal experiments were approved by the Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee at Jinan University (approval No. 20180228026) on February 28, 2018, and the application of human stem cells was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Medical College of Jinan University of China (approval No. 2016041303) on April 13, 2016.

Key words: behavior, central nervous system, factor, inflammation, model, spinal cord, stem cells, transplantation