Bone mesenchymal stem cells attenuate axonopathy in spinal cord of rats exposed to 2,5-hexanedione via NGF-dependent and -independent pathways.

N-hexane is a widely used aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent that can cause central-peripheral neuropathy. Compared to peripheral nerve tissue, spinal nerve tissue is more vulnerable and typically non-regenerable. However, no effective treatments are currently available. Stem cells are attractive therapeutic cells because of their extensive self-renewal and pluripotent differentiation abilities. Accordingly, numerous studies are focused on their restorative potential. In the present study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of stem cell therapy on spinal nerves damaged by 2,5-HD (a proximate toxic metabolite of n-hexane). Our results showed that spinal axonopathy induced by 2,5-HD was alleviated by bone mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation. Further, by examining the expression of molecules associated with axonal outgrowth, NGF signaling was found to be involved in the regeneration of spinal axons. Moreover, intervention experiments showed that PTEN was also an essential component of BMSC therapy. Conclusively, our data suggested that BMSC transplantation can alleviate spinal injury induced by 2,5-HD through AKT/mTOR/CREB by NGF-dependent and -independent pathways.