High-level spinal cord injury can lead to cardiovascular dysfunction, including disordered hemodynamics at rest and autonomic dysreflexia during noxious stimulation. To restore supraspinal control of sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs), we grafted embryonic brainstem-derived neural stem cells (BS-NSCs) or spinal cord-derived neural stem cells (SC-NSCs) expressing green fluorescent protein into the T4 complete transection site of adult rats. Animals with injury alone served as controls. Implanting of BS-NSCs but not SC-NSCs resulted in recovery of basal cardiovascular parameters, whereas both cell grafts alleviated autonomic dysreflexia. Subsequent spinal cord retransection above the graft abolished the recovery of basal hemodynamics and reflexic response. BS-NSC graft-derived catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurons showed remarkable long-distance axon growth and topographical innervation of caudal SPNs. Anterograde tracing indicated growth of medullar axons into stem cell grafts and formation of synapses. Thus, grafted embryonic brainstem-derived neurons can act as functional relays to restore supraspinal regulation of denervated SPNs, thereby contributing to cardiovascular functional improvement.
Partial Restoration of Cardiovascular Function by Embryonic Neural Stem Cell Grafts after Complete Spinal Cord Transection
Creators
Shaoping Hou - Drexel University
Veronica J. Tom - Drexel University
Lori Graham - University of California, San Diego
Paul Lu - University of California, San Diego
Armin Blesch - University of California, San Diego
Publication Details
The Journal of neuroscience, v 33(43), pp 17138-17149
Publisher
Soc Neuroscience
Number of pages
12
Grant note
161456 / Craig H. Neilsen Foundation
R01NS054883 / NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke (NINDS)
International Spinal Research Trust
Veterans Administration; US Department of Veterans Affairs
Canadian Spinal Research Organization
NS054883 / National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke (NINDS)
Wings for Life
International Foundation for Research in Paraplegia
Resource Type
Journal article
Language
English
Academic Unit
Neurobiology and Anatomy
Web of Science ID
WOS:000326088500026
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84886900431
Other Identifier
991019167824304721
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