Effect of cell therapy on metabolite content in brain structures of children with consequences of severe brain injury: 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

The effect of intravenous injection of human umbilical cord blood cells on the levels of N-acetylaspartate, creatine and phosphocreatine, choline-containing compounds, glutamine and glutamate, and myoinositol in morphologically intact areas of the cortex, white matter, and hippocampus of children with consequences of traumatic brain injury was studied by single voxel 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy. It was shown that cell therapy increases the content of N-acetylaspartate, a marker of functional integrity of neurons, in the white matter and in the cortex at the boundary between the frontotemporal and parietal lobes and reduces neurological deficit.

Effect of cell therapy on recovery of cognitive functions in rats during the delayed period after brain injury.

We studied the effect of systemic transplantation of human stem cells from various tissues on cognitive functions of the brain in rats during the delayed period after experimental brain injury. Stem cells were shown to increase the efficacy of medical treatment with metabolic and symptomatic drugs for recovery of cognitive functions. They accelerated the formation of the conditioned defense response. Fetal neural stem cells had a stronger effect on some parameters of cognitive function 2 months after brain injury. The efficacy of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from adult humans or fetuses was higher 3 months after brain injury.

[Changes in serum levels of the key factors of angiogenesis in different outcomes of combined injuries in children]. / Izmeneniia kontsentratsii v syvorotke krovi kliuchevykh faktorov angiogeneza pri razlichnykh iskhodakh sochetannoi travmy u detei.

AIM: To study the changes in the key angiogenic factors VEGF-A and angiogenin (ANG) in children with different outcomes of combined injuries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Contents of VEGF-A and ANG in blood serum were determined by enzyme immunoassay. The study included 40 patients, 21 boys and 19 girls. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the outcome of injury: 1 - the recovery or mild residual symptoms; 2 - disabled; 3 - vegetable state; 4 - death. Patients were examined at different times after injury: 1-6 days, 7-11 days, 12-19 and 20-33 days. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In the first days after injury, the content of VEGF-A in patients of 1-3 groups was at the level of the reference group, moreover, in patients of the 3rd group it was close to the top edge. In group 4, the content of VEGF-A was maximal in the first days after injury and then gradually decreased to the point of death. In groups 1 and 3, the level of VEGF-A increased significantly starting from the 2nd week while in group 2 this indicator was slightly increased approaching later (up to 33 days of observation) to the upper values in the reference group. In the 3rd group, the content of VEGF-A reached the plateau on the 19th day after injury and was higher than the reference data, but lower than in patients of the 1st group. No correlation between the changes in ANG content at different times after combined injuries and outcome was found. There was a trend towards decreased levels of ANG, especially after 3-4 weeks after injury. The data obtained are important for the control over processes of vascular and tissue reparation after injury and for searching for effective ways of treatment of altered angiogenesis in such patients.

[Biomarkers in children with traumatic brain injury].

OBJECTIVE: to study the content of biomarkers of diagnostic and prognostic value in the assessment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) severity in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Authors determined the levels of glial protein S100B, neuronspecific enolase (NSE), autoantibodies (aAb) to glutamate receptors and natural autoantibodies (nAb) to S100B and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in serum/plasma of children with different outcomes of TBI. All parameters were analyzed in the 1-3rd, 7-8th, 14-15th and 20-23rd days after TBI, and, in some cases of severe brain injury and long stay patients in hospital, in 11-12 months after TBI. The severity and outcome of TBI were assessed according the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) and the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS), respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The content of NSE and S100B increased immediately after TBI regardless of TBI severity, but in cases with favorable outcome it dropped to a normal level in the first 3 days. The maximum levels of S100B protein and NSE were observed in children with fatal TBI, and higher values were observed throughout the post-traumatic period. The low levels of aAb to NR2-subtype of glutamate receptors that were similar to controls and the high level of nAb to S100B in the first days after severe TBI indicate the failure of compensatory-adaptive immunological mechanisms and the high permeability of the brain-blood barrier, which were poor prognostic signs for children with severe TBI. Mild and severe TBI with full recovery were accompanied by higher values of ВDNF in the 1st day followed by a decline to the 3rd day. The level of BDNF in the 1st day of TBI was the lowest and subsequently continued to decline in patients with severe TBI with fatal outcome.

Evaluation of psychoemotional status of rats after brain injury and systemic transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells.

We studied the effects of systemic transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells obtained after culturing of autologous bone marrow on psychophysiological status of Wistar rats after diffuse brain trauma. Two months after systemic injection of mesenchymal stem cells we observed a decrease in manifestations of emotional behavioral reactions (anxiety and excitability) and shortening of the time of realization of drinking behavior in a T-maze. A significant positive effect of systemic transfusion of mesenchymal stem cells on avoidance conditioning in a shuttle box was observed 3 months after brain injury.

Analysis of fluid in craniopharyngioma-related cysts in children: proteins, lactate and pH.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible role of blood-brain barrier disruption in cyst formation in craniopharyngioma. Fifteen samples of cyst fluid and 14 samples of blood serum were collected from 14 patients with cystic forms of craniopharyngiomas and studied biochemically regarding total protein, albumin, immunoglobulins G and M contents, lactate and pH. Analysis of the data obtained for cyst fluids according to Felgenhauer and comparing them to those obtained for the corresponding blood sera led us to prove the hypothesis of blood-brain barrier impairment in patients with cyst formations in craniopharyngioma. We have also revealed an elevated lactate content and decreased pH in cyst fluids compared with blood sera. Thus the pathogenesis of craniopharyngiomal cyst appears to be much more akin to those described for cysts accompanying other brain tumours than it was believed earlier.