Enhanced effect of combining bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and pulsed electromagnetic fields to promote recovery after spinal cord injury

Lu Wang, Yang Wang, Qing Zhang, Chengqi He, Quan Wei, Xin Sun, Dong Wang, Chenying Fu, Liyi Huang, Gaiqing Pei, Zejun Liang
Purpose:

Both BMMSCs and PEMF have shown curative effects for SCI, PEMF can further promotes stem cell differentiation. Thus, we explored the combined effects of BMMSCs and PEMF and the potential interaction between these two therapies in SCI.

Methods:

The therapeutic effects and possible mechanisms of BMMSCs and/or PEMF on spinal cord injury were investigated in mice using spinal cord contusion models

Results:

Compared with the SCI control, BMMSCs, PEMF groups, the combinational therapy displayed the best therapeutic effect. Combinational therapy increased the expression levels of nutritional factors including brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factors (NGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), enhanced neuron preservation (NeuN and NF-200) and increased axonal growth (MBP and myelin sheath). Additionally, PEMF promoted the expression levels of BDNF and VEGF in BMMSCs via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Conclusion(s):

In summary, the combined therapy of BMMSCs and PEMF displayed a more satisfactory effect than BMMSCs and PEMF therapy alone, indicating a promising application of combined therapy for the therapy of SCI.

Implications:

The synergistic effect of PEMF and BMMSCs enhanced locomotor functional recovery, offering tremendous hope for effective SCI treatment. Continued study on optimization of the treatment effects and exploration into the underlying mechanisms are necessary.

Funding acknowledgements:
National Key R&D Program of China (2020YFC2008500 and 2020YFC2008502) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (8157223 and 82172534) .
Keywords:
Spinal cord injury
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells
Pulsed electromagnetic fields
Primary topic:
Basic science including molecular and cellular health
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
Animal Ethics Committee of the West China Hospital, Sichuan University
Provide the ethics approval number:
2020292A
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

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