Abstract:
Pericytes possess high multipotent features and cell plasticity, and produce angiogenic and neurotrophic factors that indicate their
high regenerative potential. The aim of this study was to investigate whether transplantation of adipose-derived pericytes can
improve functional recovery and neurovascular plasticity after ischemic stroke in rats. Rat adipose-derived pericytes were isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissue by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Adult male Wistar rats were subjected to 90 min of
middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by intravenous injection of rat adipose-derived pericytes 24 h later. Functional recovery
evaluations were performed at 1, 7, 14, and 28 days after injection of rat adipose-derived pericytes. Angiogenesis and neurogenesis were examined in rat brains using immunohistochemistry. It was observed that intravenous injection of adipose-derived
pericytes significantly improved recovery of neurological function in rats with stroke compared to phosphate-buffered saline–
treated controls. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the number of blood capillaries was significantly increased along the
ischemic boundary zone of the cortex and striatum in stroke rats treated with adipose-derived pericytes. In addition, treatment
with adipose-derived pericytes increased the number of doublecortin positive neuroblasts. Our data suggest that transplantation
of adipose-derived pericytes can significantly improve the neurologic status and contribute to neurovascular remodeling in rats
after ischemic stroke. These data provide a new insight for future cell therapies that aim to treat ischemic stroke patients.