Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38171303›Full record

ArticleNeurospine2023

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Combined With Electroacupuncture Treatment Regulate the Subpopulation of Macrophages and Astrocytes to Facilitate Axonal Regeneration in Transected Spinal Cord.

Rongyi Zhang, Junhua Wang, Qingwen Deng, Xingru Xiao, Xiang Zeng, Biqin Lai, Ge Li, Yuanhuan Ma, Jingwen Ruan, Inbo Han and 2 more

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neurospine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 28% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Biomaterials and cell-based therapy post spinal cord injury.Journal of translational medicine · 2025
    Review
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Rongyi ZhangDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Junhua WangDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Qingwen DengDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Xingru XiaoDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Xiang ZengKey Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Biqin LaiDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Ge LiKey Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yuanhuan MaKey Laboratory for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Jingwen RuanDepartment of Acupuncture, the 1st Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Inbo HanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Korea.
Yuan-Shan ZengDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Ying DingDepartment of Histology and Embryology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Sun Yat-sen University · CNCHA University Bundang Medical Center · KR

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 81891003National Natural Science Foundation of China 82074528
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveHerein, we investigated whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation combined with electroacupuncture (EA) treatment could decrease the proportion of proinflammatory microglia/macrophages and neurotoxic A1 reactive astrocytes and inhibit glial scar formation to enhance axonal regeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI).

methodsAdult rats were divided into 5 groups after complete transection of the spinal cord at the T10 level: a control group, a nonacupoint EA (NA-EA) group, an EA group, an MSC group, and an MSCs+EA group. Immunofluorescence labeling, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blots were performed.

resultsThe results showed that MSCs+EA treatment reduced the proportion of proinflammatory M1 subtype microglia/macrophages, but increased the differentiation of anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype cells, thereby suppressing the mRNA and protein expression of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-1β) and increasing the expression of an anti-inflammatory cytokine (interleukin [IL]-10) on days 7 and 14 after SCI. The changes in expression correlated with the attenuated neurotoxic A1 reactive astrocytes and glial scar, which in turn facilitated the axonal regeneration of the injured spinal cord. In vitro, the proinflammatory cytokines increased the level of proliferation of astrocytes and increased the expression levels of C3, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan. These effects were blocked by administering inhibitors of ErbB1 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) (AG1478 and AG490) and IL-10.

conclusionThese findings showed that MSCs+EA treatment synergistically regulated the microglia/macrophage subpopulation to reduce inflammation, the formation of neurotoxic A1 astrocytes, and glial scars. This was achieved by downregulating the ErbB1-STAT3 signal pathway, thereby providing a favorable microenvironment conducive to axonal regeneration after SCI.

Indexed as

Axonal regenerationElectroacupunctureMacrophagesMesenchymal stem cellsMicrogliaReactive astrocytesSpinal cord injury

Identifiers

PMID38171303
PMCPMC10762392
OpenAlexW4390295876

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.