Transplantation of mouse embryonic stem cell reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in an animal model of stroke

Stroke is the second cause of death and disability in the world. Cell therapy can be considered as a suitable option due to its ability to restore and replace damaged neurons. Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) were considered as potential candidates for the present research due to the release of growth and neurotrophic factors.

Rats were divided into three main groups: Intact, control, and mouse embryonic stem cell (mESCs) transplant recipients. In mESCs group, ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) method four days after injection of half a million cells into striatum of rat brain by stereotaxic method. Rats were divided into subgroups to investigate neurological deficits, infarct volume, blood-brain barrier integrity, edema, superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity, and the expression of glutamate ionotropic receptor (GRIN1) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS1) genes.

A significant reduction in neurological deficits, infarct volume, blood-brain barrier damage and edema was observed in the mESCs group compared to the control group. Also, the expression of GRIN1 and NOS1 showed a significant decrease in the mESCs group compared to the control group. In addition, a significant increase in SOD enzyme expression was observed in the mESCs group compared to the control group.

The present results showed that transplantation of mESCs reduced ischemic damages. This effectiveness is probably due to reduction of inflammatory and excitotoxicity related-genes and increase of antioxidant enzyme.