Figure 4

Human NSC transplantation ameliorates BBB leakage. I. (A) Representative images of IgG staining in sham, MCAO/R and MCAO/R + hNSC-transplanted (Tx) mice showing BBB damage. Scale bar, 2 mm. (B) Quantification of IgG staining, expressed as a percentage of the volume showing IgG-positive staining per ipsilesional hemisphere (n = 5, ***P <0.001 versus sham; ^#P <0.05 versus MCAO/R). (C) Brain diagram. (D) The spatial distribution of intravenously administered Texas Red dextran 70 kDa (red) in contralateral (a, c) and ipsilateral (b, d) cortical regions of stroke mice with/without hNSC transplantation 48 hours post-MCAO/R. Reduced extravasation was observed in hNSC-transplanted mice. Scale bar, 10 μm (10 μm, inset). II. (A) Western blot analysis showing MMP-9 protein level in the ipsilesional cortex. (B) Quantification of A (n = 6, ***P <0.001 versus sham; ^###P < 0.001 versus MCAO/R). (C) Zymography assay showing MMP-9 activity in the ipsilesional cortex. (D) Quantification of C (n = 6, ***P <0.001 versus sham; ^###P <0.001 versus MCAO/R). (E) Western blot analysis of ZO-1. (F) Quantification of E (n = 4, ***P <0.001 versus sham; ^##P <0.01 versus MCAO/R). BBB, blood-brain barrier; IgG, immunoglobulin G; MCAO/R, middle cerebral artery occlusion with reperfusion; MMP-9, matrix metalloproteinase-9; NSC, neural stem cells; ZO-1, zona occluden.