针刺联合胎盘间充质干细胞治疗脑性瘫痪大鼠模型

Combination of acupuncture with placenta derived mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for cerebral palsy in a rat model

BACKGROUND:Both of acupuncture and mesenchymal stem cell transplantation have therapeutic effects on cerebral palsy. OBJECTIVE:To explore the therapentic effect of acupuncture combined with placenta derived mesenchymal stem cells on rat cerebral palsy. METHODS:Thirty-five Wistar rats were equivalently randomized into five groups, including control group, model group, acupuncture group, transplantation group and combination group. Rat models of cerebral palsy were prepared in all groups except the control group. At 7 days after modeling, in the transplantation group, 10 μL placenta derived mesenchymal stem cells were transplanted into the right cerebral cortex and striatum of rats; rats in theacupuncture group were given acupuncture at Shuigou (DU26), Dazhui (DU14), Baihui (DU20), Guanyuan (RN4) and Qihai (RN6) points; rats in the combination group given acupuncture and transplantation treatment as described above; the model and control groups received no treatment. Then, after 7-day intervention, the body mass, neurological function and pathological changes of rat brain tissues were measured and observed, respectively.  . RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The order of the growth rate of body mass was as follows: control group > combination group > acupuncture and transplantation groups > model group, and all groups had significant differences except the two groups of acupuncture and transplantation (P < 0.05); findings from holding tract, foot error and water finding in maze tests showed the neurological function was best in the control group, followed by the combination group, as well as acupuncture and transplantation groups, and the worst in the model group. All groups had significant differences except acupuncture and transplantation groups (P < 0.05). Besides, in the model group, cells in the brain and hippocampus decreased, arranging disorderly with fuzzy structure, and inflammatory cells appeared; pathological changes in the other groups were in between control group and model group, Additionally, brain tissues in the combination group exlibited better pathological changes than those in the acupuncture and transplantation groups, which were similar with the normal brain tissues. To conclude, acupuncture, placenta derived mesenchymal stem cells transplantation, or their combination can improve neurological function in rats with cerebral palsy, especially the combination treatment.