Effect of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplantation on Nerve Fibers of A Rat Model of Endometriosis

Abstract

Background Endometriosis is a common, benign, oestrogen-dependent, chronic gynaecological disorder associated with pelvic pain and infertility. Some researchers have identified nerve fibers in endometriotic lesions in women with endometriosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have attracted interest for their possible use for both cell and gene therapies because of their capacity for self-renewal and multipotentiality of differentiation. We investigated how human umbilical cord-MSCs (hUC-MSCs) could affect nerve fibers density in endometriosis. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, hUC-MSCs were isolated from fresh human umbilical cord, characterized by flow cytometry, and then transplanted into surgically induced endometriosis in a rat model. Ectopic endometrial implants were collected four weeks later. The specimens were sectioned and stained immunohistochemically with antibodies against neurofilament (NF), nerve growth factor (NGF), NGF receptor p75 (NGFRp75), tyrosine kinase receptor-A (Trk-A), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) to compare the presence of different types of nerve fibers between the treatment group with the transplantation of hUC-MSCs and the control group without the transplantation of hUC-MSCs. Results There were significantly less nerve fibers stained with specific markers we used in the treatment group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion MSC from human umbilical cord reduced nerve fiber density in the treatment group with the transplantation of hUC-MSCs.

Keywords

• endometriosis
• mesenchymal stem cells
• nerve fibers
• immunohistochemistry