Intra-arterial transplantation of neural stem cells improve functional recovery after transient ischemic stroke in adult rats.

OBJECTIVES: The neural stem cell transplantation has been proposed as alternative therapy to promote functional recovery after various neurological disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of intra-arterial transplantation of adult neural stem cells on improving local brain ischemia injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 32 male Wistar rats were used. Ischemia was induced using a middle cerebral artery obstruction with monofilament nylon suture. Neural stem cells were isolated from subventricular zone of the rat brain. 24 hours after local ischemia, the cells were labeled with DiI and transplanted intra-articularly. Evaluation of neurological movement deficits was performed using a neurological deficit score. The transplanted neural stem cells differentiation into neurons and astrocytes was assessed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The results indicated that lesion volumes in the ischemic control, PBS and the treatment groups were 31.5, 29.8 and 14.7 % respectively. Our results also showed that the number of eosinophilic neurons and also neurological impairment in the treatment group was significantly reduced compared to the control and PBS groups. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that intra-arterial transplantation of neural stem cells 24 hours after ischemia, led to a decrease in the volume of brain ischemic lesion and improved neurological outcomes (Fig. 7, Ref. 23).