Fig. 3

Engrafted BDNF-BMSC significantly reduced the apoptosis in defective spinal cords. A. Typical images of double staining of TUNEL and GFP antibody in the spinal dorsal horn were observed in the BDNF-BMSC-injected group, the BMSC-injected group, and the PBS-injected group under a fluorescence microscope. Scale bar: 30 μm. B. Quantification of apoptotic cells was performed under 40 × field (n = 6/group). The apoptotic cells in the dorsal spinal cord of the BDNF-BMSC-injected group and BMSC-injected group were significantly decreased compared to the PBS injection group. C–D. Quantitative analysis of the relative mRNA expression of BCL2, BAX, and CASP3 in the spinal cords of PBS-injected, BMSC-injected, and BDNF-BMSC-injected fetuses (n = 12/group). *The difference was significant compared to the PBS group (p < 0.05). E. Simple western detection of BCL2, BAX, and CASP3 protein expression in the spinal cords from SBA fetuses after intra-amniotic injection of PBS, BMSCs, and BDNF-BMSCs. Gray–white stripes were detected by the HRP channel; red stripes were detected by the NIR channel. F–G. Quantification of the relative protein levels determined from the special peak area of BCL2, BAX, and CASP3 shown in E. *Significant difference compared to the PBS-injected group, †Significant difference compared to the BMSC-transplanted group, p < 0.05