In:
PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Vol. 16, No. 2 ( 2021-2-16), p. e0246817-
Abstract:
In animal models of stroke, behavioral assessments could be complemented by a variety of neuroimaging studies to correlate them with recovery and better understand mechanisms of improvement after stem cell therapy. We evaluated morphological and connectivity changes after treatment with human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in a rat stroke model, through quantitative measurement of T 2 -weighted images and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion rats randomly received PBS (PBS-only), FBS cultured hMSCs (FBS-hMSCs), or stroke patients’ serum cultured hMSCs (SS-hMSCs). Functional improvement was assessed using a modified neurological severity score (mNSS). Quantitative analyses of T 2 -weighted ischemic lesion and ventricular volume changes were performed. Brain microstructure/connectivity changes were evaluated in the ischemic recovery area by DTI-derived microstructural indices such as relative fractional anisotropy (rFA), relative axial diffusivity (rAD), and relative radial diffusivity (rRD), and relative fiber density (rFD) analyses. According to mNSS results, the SS-hMSCs group showed the most prominent functional improvement. Infarct lesion volume of the SS-hMSCs group was significantly decreased at 2 weeks when compared to the PBS-only groups, but there were no differences between the FBS-hMSCs and SS-hMSCs groups. Brain atrophy was significantly decreased in the SS-hMSCs group compared to the other groups. In DTI, rFA and rFD values were significantly higher and rRD value was significant lower in the SS-hMSCs group and these microstructure/connectivity changes were correlated with T 2 -weighted morphological changes. T 2 -weighted volume alterations (ischemic lesion and brain atrophy), and DTI microstructural indices and rFD changes, were well matched with the results of behavioral assessment. These quantitative MRI measurements could be potential outcome predictors of functional recovery after treatment with stem cells for stroke.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1932-6203
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.g001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.g002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.g003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.g004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.g005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.g006
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.g007
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.s001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.s002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.s003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0246817.s004
Language:
English
Publisher:
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2267670-3
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