Intravenous administration of adipose tissue-derived stem cells enhances nerve healing and promotes BDNF expression via the TrkB signaling in a rat stroke model

Previous studies have shown the beneficial effects of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) transplantation in stroke. However, the molecular mechanism by which transplanted ADSCs promote nerve healing is not yet elucidated. In order to make clear the molecular mechanism for the neuroprotective effects of ADSCs and investigate roles of the BDNF–TrkB signaling in neuroprotection of ADSCs, we, therefore, examined the neurological function, brain water content, and the protein expression in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats with or without ADSCs transplantation. ADSCs were transplanted intravenously into rats at 30 minutes after MCAO. K252a, an inhibitor of TrkB, was administered into rats by intraventricular and brain stereotaxic injection. Modified neurological severity score tests were performed to measure behavioral outcomes. The results showed that ADSCs significantly alleviated neurological deficits and reduced brain water content in MCAO rats. The protein expression levels of BDNF and TrkB significantly increased in the cortex of MCAO rats with ADSCs treatment. However, K252a administration reversed the ADSCs-induced elevation of BDNF, TrkB, and Bcl-2 and reduction of Bax protein in MCAO rats. ADSCs promote BDNF expression via the TrkB signaling and improve functional neurological recovery in stroke rats.