Therapeutic potential of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells in wound healing

Abstract

The present experiment was carried out to explore the therapeutic potential of rabbit bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBM-MSCs) in wound healing in New Zealand White rabbits. The experiment was conducted in the Department of Veterinary Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati, 781022. Eighteen numbers of clinically healthy male New Zealand white rabbit of 3-4 months with mean body weight of 1.52 kg were randomly divided into three different groups of six animals each viz. Gr-I (Control group), Gr-II (Test group-1) and Gr-III (Test group-2). A total of thirty-six surgical wounds were created on the skin of eighteen rabbits with two in each. The Gr-I rabbits received no treatment and was considered as Control group. Gr-II rabbits were treated with a standard drug i.e. Povidine iodine ointment (Betadine®, USP 10 % w/w) while Gr III rabbits were treated with cultured BM-MSCs topically. They were raised under standard laboratory conditions and veterinary supervision throughout the experimental period and were given standard pellet feed. The experiment was conducted in a 2x2 factorial design for a period of 30 days. Bone marrow was collected from rabbits to culture and characterize the BM-MSCs. Blood was collected from all the animals of each group on days 0, 3, 7, 15 and 30 to estimate haemato-biochemical constituents viz. haemoglobin, PCV, ESR, TEC, TLC and DLC; serum glucose, total protein, triglycerides, SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase, uric acid, Ca2+, P, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Cl-, iron, copper, zinc, cytokine proteins: TNF-and#945;, IL 1and#946;, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and to study cytokine gene expression pattern during wound healing. Wound area was measured on days 1, 3, 7, 15, 21 and 30 of each animal, of different experimental groups. Tissue was collected on day 10 and day 20 of surgery from each animal of different experimental groups to estimate certain granulation tissue markers viz. LPO, NO; SOD, CAT, GSH, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E; MPO; protein and DNA; an