[Transplantation of human embryonic neural stem cells protects rats against cerebral ischemic injury].

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to explore the fate and effect of human embryonic neural stem cells (hNSCs) after transplantation into ipsilateral lateral ventricle of stroke rats. Adult rats were exposed to one-hour transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), and then hNSCs were transplanted into ipsilateral lateral ventricle 7 days after reperfusion. Infarct volume was calculated by cresyl violet staining. The improvements of neural functions were assessed by behavioral tests. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to observe the migration and differentiation of transplanted hNSCs. The results showed that transplanted hNSCs significantly reduced ischemia-induced infarction in MCAO rats, and improved neural functional restoration when assessed by rotarod, footfault and corner-turn tests. The grafted cells migrated predominantly to several specific brain regions, such as corpus callosum and peri-infarct area. Furthermore, these cells differentiated into oligodendrocytes and astrocytes in corpus callosum, and neurons in peri-infarct parenchyma. These results suggest that transplanted hNSCs through lateral ventricle of the ischemic side may exert effective therapeutic effects on stroke rats via migration and differentiation in specific brain regions.