| dc.description.abstract | Background: Globally, spinal cord injury (SCI) results in a big burden, including 90% suffering permanent
disability, and 60%–69% experiencing neuropathic pain. The main causes are oxidative stress, inflammation, and
degeneration. The efficacy of the stem cell secretome is promising, but the role of human neural stem cell (HNSC)-
secretome in neuropathic pain is unclear. This study evaluated how the mechanism of HNSC-secretome improves
neuropathic pain and locomotor function in SCI rat models through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-matrix
degradation, and neurotrophic activities.
Methods: A proper experimental study investigated 15 Rattus norvegicus divided into normal, control, and
treatment groups (30 µL HNSC-secretome, intrathecal in the level of T10, three days post-traumatic SCI). Twentyeight days post-injury, specimens were collected, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, F2-Isoprostanes, tumor
necrosis factor (TNF)-α, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were
analyzed. Locomotor recovery was evaluated via Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan scores. Neuropathic pain was
evaluated using the Rat Grimace Scale.
Results: The HNSC-secretome could improve locomotor recovery and neuropathic pain, decrease F2-Isoprostane
(antioxidant), decrease MMP-9 and TNF-α (anti-inflammatory), as well as modulate TGF-β and BDNF (neurotrophic
factor). Moreover, HNSC-secretomes maintain the extracellular matrix of SCI by reducing the matrix degradation effect
of MMP-9 and increasing the collagen formation effect of TGF-β as a resistor of glial scar formation.
Conclusions: The present study demonstrated the mechanism of HNSC-secretome in improving neuropathic pain and
locomotor function in SCI through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-matrix degradation, and neurotrophic activities. | en_US |
