The Effect of Neural Stem Cell Treatment on Astrocyte Phenotypes morphology and Galectin Expression in Following Rat Spinal Cord Injury

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) results in complex neurological dysfunction. Astrocytes react in response to SCI by undergoing proliferation and migrating to the injury site, resulting in astrogliosis. Neural stem cells (NSCs) have been proposed as a promising therapeutic strategy to promote neurogenesis following transplantation post SCI. In this study the antigenic and morphological phenotype of astrocytes, and the pattern of galectin expression was examined following SCI. Female Sprague Dawley rats were contused at thoracic (T) level T9 and treated with Cyclosporin-A (CsA) and/or NSCs 1 week post-injury. CsA and NSC treatment led to increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), brain lipid binding protein (BLBP) and vimentin expression. Quiescent and reactive astrocytes were the most abundant cell morphology observed. Astrocytes co-localised with galectin-1 (Gal-1) and galectin-3 (Gal-3). Gal-1 expression was increased in both CsA and CSA + NSC treated animals 2 weeks post-treatment. Treatment with CsA and/or NSCs offers many prospective beneficial effects. A detailed revelation of how astrocytes are heterogeneously responsive to SCI, in addition to their affinity to galectins and response to CsA and NSCs is shown in this study. The current study’s findings support the potential application of NSCs as a novel therapeutic tool in the treatment of SCI.