[The intercostal nerve transplantation with olfactory ensheathing cells modified by NGF, BDNF genes repairs the injured rat spinal cord].

OBJECTIVE

To study the repairable effects of intercostal nerve transplantation with NGF,BDNF genes modifying olfactory Ensheathing cells (OECs) on spinal cord injury (SCI).

METHODS

The spinal cord hemisection model was made by cutting 2 mm rat spinal cord from T11 and T12. And then the lesion was repaired using intercostal nerve linking manner (proximal gray substance to distal white substance and L1, L2, L3, L4 of radix posterior and proximal white substance), and with NGF, BDNF genes modifying OECs were transplanted into group A. However, the group B was only transplanted to get the intercostal nerve but no OECs, the group C was without treatment but an absorbable gelatin sponge was used to SCI. The operated model rat had been bred for 4 to 8 weeks. The BBB scores were checked, and the somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP), motor evoked potentials (MEP) were examined, and the tissue structure of the operated region was observed under the light microscope.

RESULTS

The 8 weeks of after operation, the back limbs function of group A rats was recovered, and BBB scores were A>B>C, and the peak latencies of early waves in SEP and MEP were A<B<C. With observing group A under the light microscope, of which the transplanted nerve was surviving, the lesion was filled and partly fused with the spinal tissue. The group A nerve function recovery was better than growp B and C.

CONCLUSION

The intercostal nerve and NGF,BDNF genes modifying OECs transplantation can recover from the spinal cord injury.