Therapeutic effect of co-transplantation of neuregulin 1-transfected-Schwann cells and bone marrow stromal cells on spinal cord hemisection syndrome

The aim of this present study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of co-transplantation of neuregulin-1-transfected-Schwann cells (SCs) and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) on a rat model of spinal cord hemi-section injuries (Brown-Sequard syndrome), which is relevant to human clinical spinal cord injury. Both in vivo and in vitro data we received demonstrated that co-transplantation BMSCs with NRG1-transfected SCs reduced the size of cystic cavities, promoted axonal regeneration and hind limb functional recovery in comparison with SCs or BMSCs transplantation alone or together, and this treatment could provide important insights into potential therapies of spinal cord hemi-section injuries. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.