Efficacy of human umbilical cord derived-mesenchymal stem cells in treatment of rat bone marrow exposed to gamma irradiation

To assess the therapeutic effects of the human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on rat bone marrow (BM) exposed to gamma rays, 3 groups (n = 15 each) of adult male Wistar albino rats were utilized as follows: the 1 st group received PBS (control group), the 2nd group was exposed to gamma rays 1.04 Gy/min (R group) and the 3rd group exposed to same dose as RG and injected hUCB-MSCs. The BM of femurs was processed for histological and immunohistochemical staining with proliferating cell nuclear antigen antibody (PCNA), anti human CD105 and anti human CD34. Hb content, leukocytes and platelet counts were analyzed as well as fat cells and megakaryocytic counts. Also, the BM vascular spaces and the optical density of immunostaining for PCNA were analyzed. The leukocytes and platelet counts were significantly lower in the R (2.85 ± 235.8; P = 0.000 and 95.27 ± 3.01; P = 0.000 respectively) when compared with the control (10.40 ± 443.2; P = 0.000 and 430.18 ± 20.28; P = 0.000 respectively). The fat cell count was significantly higher in the R (36.55 ± 1.83; P = 0.000) than in control (7.64 ± 0.61; P = 0.000) and in R injected h-MSCs tissues (18.82 ± 2.03; P = 0.000). The megakaryocytic count was significantly higher in the R injected h-MSCs (5.36 ± 0.310; P = 0.000) than in control (2.82 ± 0.263; P = 0.000) and in the R BM (0.45 ± 0.157; P = 0.000). The vascular spaces were dilated and significantly increased in the R injected h-MSCs (50.10 ± 2.40; P = 0.000) than in control (33.36 ± 1.01; P = 0.000). The optical density of PCNA expression was significantly lower in R (0.18 ± 0.11; P = 0.005) than in control (0.41 ± 0.40; P = 0.005) and in R injected h-MSCs groups (0.30 ± 0.17; P = 0.005). The present study concluded that injection of hUCB-MSCs improves destructive effects of bone marrow induced by gamma radiation. Use of radio-protective agents during exposure is recommended.