Figure 4

Implantation of IGF1R⁺ hDSCs augmented neurological functional recovery after cerebral ischemia.

(a) U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated rats showed significant recovery of body asymmetry compared to that of F-IGF1R⁺ hDSCs, U-hDSCs, and F-hDSCs. Better improvement in body swing test was also found in the F-IGF1R⁺ hDSC, U-hDSC, and F-hDSC-treated rats compared to that of control group (upper panel). Experimental rats receiving intracerebral U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC transplantation showed more recovery of body asymmetry than that of F-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated and control rats. But the improvement of body asymmetry in U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated rats was abolished by the intraperitoneal injection of specific IGF1R inhibitor (PPP) and CXCR4 blocking antibody (CXCR4-Ab) (lower panel). (b) In locomotor activity analysis, U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated rats exhibited significantly increase of vertical activity, vertical movement time, and the number of vertical movements compared to F-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated and control populations, but not in U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC+PPP- and U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC+CXCR4-Ab-treated rats. (c) In grip strength measurement, experimental rats treated with U-IGF1R⁺ hDSCs revealed a higher ratio of grip strength than that of F-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated and the control group. But recovery of grip strength in U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated rats was inhibited by the injection of PPP and CXCR4-Ab. (d) In FDG-PET examination, the relative glucose metabolic activity showed significant increase in the U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated group compared to F-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated and control. Conversely, injection of PPP or CXCR4-Ab inhibited U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC implantation-induced increase glucose metabolic activity. (e) Expression of anti-apoptotic proteins, such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, in the U-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated rats’ brain revealed significantly upregulated compared to F-IGF1R⁺ hDSC-treated and control rats. n = 8 in each group, Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. *P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01 and **P < 0.01 vs. control, Bar = 40 μm.