Use of FK506 and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells for rat hind limb allografts

• Published in: Neural regeneration research 2012-12, Vol.7 (34), p.2681-2688
• Main Authors: Song, Youxin, Wang, Zhujun, Wang, Zhixue, Zhang, Hong, Li, Xiaohui, Chen, Bin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bone marrow; Cytokines; Experiments; FK506; Laboratory animals; Proteins; Quantitative analysis; Stem cells; Stem Cells and Neural Regeneration; Surgery; Transplants & implants; 免疫耐受; 后肢; 周围神经再生; 大鼠; 自体移植; 雪旺氏细胞; 骨髓间充质干细胞
• ISSN: 1673-5374; 1876-7958
• DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.34.005

Dark Agouti rat donor hind limbs were orthotopically transplanted into Lewis rat recipients to verify the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on neural regeneration and functional recovery of allotransplanted limbs in the microenvironment of immunotolerance, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were intramuscularly （gluteus maximus） injected with FK506 （tacrolimus） daily, and were transplanted to the injured nerves. Results indicated that the allograft group not receiving therapy showed severe rejection, with transplanted limbs detaching at 10 days after transplantation with complete necrosis. The number of myelinated axons and Schwann cells in the FK506 and FK506 ＋ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells groups were significantly increased. We observed a lesser degree of gastrocnemius muscle degeneration, and increased polymorphic fibers along with other pathological changes in the FK506 ＋ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells group. The FK506 ＋ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells group showed significantly better recovery than the autograft and FK506 groups. The results demonstrated that FK506 improved the immune microenvironment. FK506 combined with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells significantly promoted sciatic nerve regeneration, and improved sensory recovery and motor function in hind limb allotransplant.