OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of combined transplantation of neurotrophin-3 and neural stem cells in treatment of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in rats, and study the possible mechanism.

METHODSNeural stem cells (NSCs) isolated from hippocampi of newborn wistar rats were cultured and identified. The hypoxic-ischemic brain injury models established with 7-day-old wistar rats, and neural stem cells or others were transplantated into the ipsilateral ventricles 7 days later. The 7-day-old rats were randomized into 5 groups: normal group, model group, sham-transplantation group, NSCs transplantation group, and NT-3 combined with NSCs transplantation group. There were 12 rats per group. The functional test and immunohistochemistry were examined 4 weeks later.

RESULTSThe neural stem cells from new-born rats' hippocampi were successfully cultured. It was found that they formed typical neurospheres in suspension, and the majorities of cells expressed nestin, which was the marker for neural stem cells. The rats from combined transplantation group performed significantly better in the ability to study and in memory and the limb function than the rats from NSCs transplantation group (P < 0.05). The rate of neural stem cells differentiating into neurons from combined transplantation group was higher, too (50% vs. 30%).

CONCLUSIONCombined NT-3 and NSCs transplantation could improve the ability to study, memory and the limb function of rats after hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, and improve the rate of NSCs differentiating neurons. Combined NT-3 and NSCs transplantation had better effects on hypoxic-ischemic rats than transplantation of NSCs alone.