Objective: To isolate and culture olfactory ensheathing cells from different origins, compare their different biological characteristics, and evaluate their therapeutic effect on spinal cord injury mouse models.
Methods: The olfactory ensheathing cells from olfactory mucosa or olfactory bulb were isolated and cultured by differential adhesion method. The expressions of S100 and P75 proteins were examined by immunofluorescence staining; their growth curves were drawn by MTT colorimetric assay; the secretion of neurotrophic factors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) was measured by ELISA; the gene expressions of BDNF, NGF, NT-3, neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), and microtubule-associated protein (MAP-2) were quantified by real-time PCR; the therapeutic effect on spinal cord injury mouse models was evaluated by Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale, which had been carried out daily for 8 weeks after the olfactory ensheathing cells of the two different origins were respectively grafted to the mouse models.
Results: The two types of olfactory ensheathing cells showed bipolar or tripolar shape; both of them were S100 and P75 protein positive; both of them expressing the gene of BDNF, NGF, NT-3, and NT-4; the olfactory bulb-derived cells did not express MAP-2, but it highly expressed GAP-43 gene; the olfactory mucosa-derived cells displayed a low expression of MAP-2 and GAP-43; the growth speed of olfactory bulb-derived cells was faster than that of the olfactory mucosa-derived cells. Both of them could secrete BDNF, NGF, and NT-3, but the neurotrophic factor levels secreted in the olfactory mucosa-derived cells were higher. The daily neurological BBB scoring showed that the therapeutic effect of olfactory mucosa-derived cells on spinal cord injury mouse models was better than that of the olfactory bulb-derived cells.
Conclusion: There exist biological differences between the olfactory mucosa-derived cells and the olfactory bulb-derived cells. The olfactory mucosa-derived cells showed the better therapeutic effect on spinal cord injury mouse models.