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Neural Stem Cells Grafts Decrease Neural Apoptosis Associated with Caspase-7 Downregulation and BDNF Upregulation in Rats Following Spinal Cord Hemisection

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Abstract

Transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) into lesioned spinal cord demonstrated a beneficial effect for neural repair, the underlying mechanism, however, remains to be elusive. Here, we showed that NSCs, possessing the capacity to differentiate toward into neurons and astrocytes, exhibit a neuroprotective effect by anti-apoptosis mechanism in spinal cord hemi-transected rats despite it did not improve behavior. Intravenous NSCs injection substantially upregulated the level of BDNF mRNA but not its receptor TrkB in hemisected spinal cord, while caspase-7, a downstream apoptosis gene of caspase-3, has been largely down-regulated. TUNEL staining showed that the number of apoptosis cells in injured spinal cord decreased significantly, compared with seen in rats with no NSCs administration. The present finding therefore provided crucial evidence to explain neuroprotective effect of NSCs grafts in hemisected spinal cord, which is associated with BDNF upregulation and caspase-7 downregulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Histology, Embryology and Neurobiology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Guan-nan Xia, You-cui Wang & Jian-guo Qi

  2. Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650031, China

    Yu Zou, Bing-tuan Lu & Ting-hua Wang

  3. Institute of Neurological Disease, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Qing-jie Xia & Ting-hua Wang

Authors
  1. Guan-nan Xia
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  2. Yu Zou
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  3. You-cui Wang
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  4. Qing-jie Xia
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  5. Bing-tuan Lu
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  6. Ting-hua Wang
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  7. Jian-guo Qi
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Ting-hua Wang or Jian-guo Qi.

Additional information

Guan-nan Xia, Yu Zou, Ting-hua Wang, and Jian-guo Qi contributed equally to this study.

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Xia, Gn., Zou, Y., Wang, Yc. et al. Neural Stem Cells Grafts Decrease Neural Apoptosis Associated with Caspase-7 Downregulation and BDNF Upregulation in Rats Following Spinal Cord Hemisection. Cell Mol Neurobiol 33, 1013–1022 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-013-9969-9

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