Interactive effects of cell therapy and rehabilitation realize the full potential of neurogenesis in brain injury model

The therapeutic effect of rehabilitation after cell therapy for brain injury remains unclear. Here, we report the neural stem/progenitor cells transplantation into a brain injury mouse model followed by treadmill exercise training. Among all experimental groups, mice that underwent transplantation and treadmill exercise demonstrated significant functional motor and electrophysiological improvement. Transplanted cells at the brain injury site were observed and differentiated into neurons and astrocytes. Transplanted cells significantly differentiated into neurons in the mice that underwent transplantation and treadmill exercise compared with those treated with only transplantation. Furthermore, the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and growth-associated protein 43 mRNAs were significantly up-regulated in the mice that underwent transplantation and treadmill exercise than in those in other experimental groups during the early recovery stage. These results suggest that rehabilitation after neural stem/progenitor cell transplantation enhances neurogenesis and promotes the recovery of motor function in brain injury model mice.