hiPSC-derived NSCs effectively promote the functional recovery of acute spinal cord injury in mice

Abstract Background Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a common disease that results in motor and sensory disorders even lifelong paralysis. The transplantation of stem cells, such as embryonic cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent (iPSCs), mesenchymal (MSCs), or subsequently generated stem/progenitor predicted to be promising treatment for SCI. In this study, we aimed investigate effect human iPSC-derived neural (hiPSC-NSCs) umbilical cord-derived MSCs (huMSCs) mouse model acute Methods Acute SCI mice were established randomly treated phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (control group), repaired with 1 × 10 5 hiPSC-NSCs (NSC huMSCs (MSC respectively, total 54 ( n = 18 each). Hind limb function was evaluated open-field tests using the Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) at days post-operation (dpo) 1, 3, 5, 7 after spinal injury, weekly thereafter. serum samples harvested dpo 7, 14, 21. Haematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining Masson used evaluate morphological changes fibrosis area. differentiation transplanted vivo immunohistochemical staining. Results hiPSC-NSC-treated group presented significantly smaller glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive area than MSC-treated all time points. Additionally, MSC-transplanted had similar GFAP+ receiving PBS. At immunostained SRY-related high-mobility-group (HMG)-box protein-2 (SOX2). Furthermore, differentiated into GFAP-positive astrocytes beta-III tubulin-positive neurons, whereas astrocytes. addition, hiPSC-NSC reduced formation inflammation level. Compared control huMSC group, exhibited improved behaviours, particularly coordination. Conclusions HiPSC-NSCs promote functional recovery by replacing missing neurons attenuating fibrosis, scar formation, inflammation. Graphical abstract