Synergic Effects of Rehabilitation and Intravenous Infusion of Mesenchymal Stem Cells After Stroke in Rats

Once again more research is needed. But we have NO stroke leadership or strategy to followup on any promising research.  At least they used objective imaging to determine results. 

Synergic Effects of Rehabilitation and Intravenous Infusion of Mesenchymal Stem Cells After Stroke in Rats

Yuichi Sasaki, Masanori Sasaki, Yuko Kataoka-Sasaki, Masahito Nakazaki, Hiroshi Nagahama, Junpei Suzuki, Daiki Tateyama, Shinichi Oka, Takahiro Namioka, Ai Namioka, Rie Onodera, Takeshi Mikami, Masahiko Wanibuchi, Masafumi Kakizawa, Sumio Ishiai, Jeffery D. Kocsis, Osamu Honmou

DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20150504 Published May 12, 2016

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Abstract

Background Intravenous infusion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from adult bone marrow improves behavioral function in rat stroke models. Rehabilitation therapy through physical exercise (Ex) also provides therapeutic efficacy for cerebral ischemia.

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate whether synergic effects of daily rehabilitation and intravenous infusion of MSCs has therapeutic effects after stroke in rats.

Design This was an experimental study.

Methods A permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was induced by intraluminal vascular occlusion with a microfilament. Four experimental groups were studied: Group 1 (Vehicle only: Vehicle), Group 2 (Vehicle + exercise: Vehicle + Ex), Group 3 (MSCs only: MSCs) and Group 4 (MSCs + Ex: Combined). Rat MSCs were intravenously infused at 6 hours after MCAO and the rats received daily rehabilitation with treadmill running exercise for 20 min. Lesion size was assessed at 1, 14, 35 days using MR imaging. Functional outcome was assessed using the limb placement test.

Results Both combined therapy and MSC infusion reduced lesion volume, induced synaptogenesis and elicited functional improvement compared with the groups without MSC infusion, but the effect was greater in the combined group.

Limitations A limitation of this study is that the results were limited to an animal model and cannot be generalized to humans.

Conclusions These data indicate that the combined therapy of daily rehabilitation and intravenous infusion of MSCs improved functional outcome in a rat MCAO model.