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Transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells modulate the inflammatory response in the injured spinal cord

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2005

RUBèN LóPEZ-VALES
Affiliation:
Group of Neuroplasticity and Regeneration, Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
GUILLERMO GARCíA-ALíAS
Affiliation:
Group of Neuroplasticity and Regeneration, Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
JOAQUIM FORéS
Affiliation:
Group of Neuroplasticity and Regeneration, Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Hand and Peripheral Nerve Unit, Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Universitat de Barcelona
JOSé M. VELA
Affiliation:
Department of Target Validation, Laboratorios Dr Esteve, S.A., Parc Científic de Barcelona
XAVIER NAVARRO
Affiliation:
Group of Neuroplasticity and Regeneration, Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
ENRIQUE VERDú
Affiliation:
Group of Neuroplasticity and Regeneration, Institute of Neuroscience and Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Abstract

Transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) into the injured spinal cord has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects and promote functional recovery. In the present study, we investigated the potential modulatory effects of OECs on the inflammatory reaction developed after photochemical injury to the spinal cord. OEC cultures were obtained from olfactory bulbs of adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Photochemical spinal cord injury was induced in adult rats at T8. Thirty minutes after the insult, either a suspension of OECs (180 000 cells in 12 µl DMEM) or DMEM alone was injected into the lesioned spinal cord. At 3, 7 and 14 days post-operation (dpo), five animals from each group were processed for histology. Double-fluorescent labeling of transverse sections of the cord were made by combination of immunohistochemistry for inflammatory markers, interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and for selective markers of astrocytes (glial fibrillar acidic protein; GFAP) and microglia/macrophages (tomato lectin; LEC). Differences in the intensity and time course of glial response, and IL-1β and iNOS expression were found between the two groups of rats. The reactivity grade against IL-1β, iNOS, GFAP and LEC in OEC-transplanted rats was higher at 7 dpo and lower at 14 dpo compared with DMEM-injected rats. These results indicate that the mechanisms underlying neuroprotection by OECs might be caused by earlier, higher and shorter duration of microglia/macrophage and astrocyte responses after injury.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2005

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