The molecular biological analysis of spinal cord related pain and the assessment of spinal cord function using neuroimaging

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390351
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: UCHIDA Kenzo 福井大学, 医学部, 准教授 (60273009)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): BABA Hisatoshi 福井大学, 医学部, 教授 (00165060) ; NAKAJIMA Hideaki 福井大学, 医学部, 助教 (10397276) ; USHIDA Takahiro 愛知医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (60304680)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 脊髄損傷 / 神経障害性疼痛 / 遺伝子解析 / 画像解析 / 活性型ミクログリア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) transplantation on pain hypersensitivity in GFP-positive bone marrow-chimeric mice subjected to a contusion spinal cord injury (SCI). BMSC transplantation at day 3 post-SCI improved motor function and relieved SCI-induced hypersensitivities. The pain improvements were mediated by suppression of PKC-γ and p-CREB expression in dorsal horn neurons. BMSC transplants significantly reduced levels of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling (p-p38 MAPK and p-ERK1/2) in both hematogenous macrophages and resident microglia. BMSC transplants prevented hematogenous macrophages recruitment by restoration of the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB); reduced leakage of albumin and PDGFR-α immunoreactivity at day 7 post-SCI, which was associated with decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines. These changes is likely to play a major role in reducing pain hypersensitivity in the BMSC treated SCI animals.

Free Research Field

医歯薬学