Spinal cord injury in rat: treatment with bone marrow stromal cell transplantation

We tested the hypothesis that transplantation of bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) into the spinal cord after a contusion injury promotes functional ou tcome. Rats (n=31) were subjected to a weight driven implant injury. MSCs o r phosphate buffered saline was injected into the spinal cord 1 week after injury. Sections of tissue were analyzed by double-labeled immunohistochemi stry for MSC identification. Functional outcome measurements using the Bass o-Beattie-Bresnehan score were performed weekly to 5 weeks post-injury. The data indicate significant improvement in functional outcome in animals tre ated with MSC transplantation compared to control animals. Scattered cells derived from MSCs expressed neural protein markers. These data suggest that transplantation of MSCs may have a therapeutic role after spinal cord inju ry. NeuroReport 11:3001-3005 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.