Intravenous Administration of Hair Follicle Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Insulin Growth Factor-1 Improves the Neurological Performances of Rats Following Focal Cerebral Ischemia

Abstract Background: Focal cerebral ischemia is a common cerebrovascular disease with limited treatment options, and new treatments are therefore urgently needed. Hair follicle mesenchymal stem cells (HF-MSCs) are considered ideal cells for the treatment of neurological disorders. Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is an effective neuroprotective compound. Methods: In the present study, we used middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model to evaluate the therapeutic effects of HF-MSCs and IGF-1 in focal cerebral ischemia. After middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), rats were randomly divided into six groups. HF-MSCs and IGF-1 were transplanted into rat models by tail vein injection. The fate of transplanted HF-MSCs in the rat brain was assessed using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Beam balance tests and neurological severity scores were used to assess neurological recovery. Results: HF-MSCs labeled with the green fluorescent dye PKH67 were found to colocalize with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and neural-specific markers. Rats in the HF-MSCs, IGF-1 and HF-MSCs + IGF-1 groups exhibited neural differentiation marker expression, with those in the HF-MSCs + IGF-1 group exhibiting the highest levels. Conclusions: These results suggest that the combined treatment of HF-MSCs and IGF-1 can enhance neurological recovery, representing a new therapeutic strategy for cerebral ischemia.