Conditioned medium from neonatal rat olfactory ensheathing cells promotes the survival and proliferation of spiral ganglion cells.

CONCLUSION: Neonatal olfactory ensheathing cells conditioned medium (OEC-CM) can promote growth and proliferation of neonatal spiral ganglion cells (SGCs), as well as protecting them from apoptosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of neonatal OEC-CM on the survival, apoptosis, and proliferation of spiral ganglion.

METHODS: SGCs were cultured with OEC-CM, the conditioned medium from olfactory nerve fibroblasts (ONF-CM) or control medium containing 10% serum (DF12-10S). After different periods of culture, the cell types present were identified by immunofluorescent confocal imaging analysis, cell proliferation was determined by BrdU incorporation, and apoptosis was detected with the double-labeled NeuroTACS in situ Apoptosis Detection Kit.

RESULTS: SGCs cultured with regular control medium died off via apoptosis. Culturing cells with ONF-CM had no significant effects on the natural process of survival and apoptosis of SGCs. However, culture with OEC-CM significantly increased survival and decreased the apoptotic percentage of SGCs. In addition, OEC-CM temporarily stimulated the proliferative capacity of SGCs on the third day of culture.