The Effect of Conditioned Medium (Secretome) from Umbilical Cord-Mesenchymal (UC-MSC) on Aquaporin-4 (AQP-4), Locomotor Function, and Tissue Histopathology in an Animal Model of Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

Introduction: A decrease in Aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) is associated with reduced oedema and improved prognosis after spinal cord injury. Administration of Umbilical Cord-Mesenchymal (UC-MSC) has been shown to stimulate the regeneration of damaged nerve tissue and improve the regulation of neurotrophic factors.

Objectives: To determine the role of the UC-MSC secretome in improving locomotor function and histopathological features of the spinal cord through AQP-4 expression levels in experimental animals following spinal cord injury.

Methods: The study employed a true experimental method with a total sampe of 18 test animals. AQP-4 levels were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and locomotor assessment was performed using the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) scoring system. 

Results: There was a significant decrease in AQP-4 levels between the three groups (p=0.000) on the seventh day, with the highest decrease in the UC-MSC group. Locomotor improvement was most dominant in the UC-MSC group compared to the placebo and MLC-901 groups (p=0.004). There was a significant negative correlation between AQP-4 levels and BBB scores in the placebo group (p=0.008), the MLC901 group (p=0.000), and the UC-MSC group (p=0.000).

Conclusions: UC-MSC and MLC901 secretome therapy had a positive effect on nerve function recovery in rats with spinal cord injury.