Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and monosialotetrahexosy 1 ganglioside alleviate neuroinflammation in traumatic brain injury

Abstract: Neuroinflammation and activated microglia play important role in neuron damage in the traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, we determined the effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UMSCs) combined with monosialotetrahexosy 1 ganglioside (GM1) on the neuroinflammation and polarization of microglia in a rat model of TBI, which was established in male rats using a fluid percussion brain injury device. Rats survived until day 7 after TBI were randomly treated with saline (NS), GM1, UMSCs, and GM1 plus UMSCs. Modified neurological severity score (mNSS) was assessed on days 7 and 14, and the brain tissue of the injured region was collected. Immunofluorescence, RT-PCR, and western blot analysis found that neuroinflammatory cytokines and CD163 protein expression levels in injured brain tissues was significantly decreased rats treated with GM1+UMSCs, GM1, or UMSCs were up-regulated compared with saline-treated rats. iNOS protein expression was down-regulated compared with rats treated with saline. The protein expression levels of NE, NF-200, MAP-2 and β-tubulin III were increased in the injured brain tissues from rats treated with GM1 + UMSCs, or GM1 and UMSCs alone compared with those in the rats treated with NS. The protein expression levels in rats treated with GM1 plus UMSCs was most significant on day 7 following UMSC transplantation. The rats treated with GM1 plus UMSCs had the lowest mNSS compared with that in the other groups. These data suggest that UMSCs and GM1 reduce the neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration through coordinating the polarization state of microglia to promote the recovery of neurological functions in the TBI.