Wharton' jelly mesenchymal stem cells and insulin effect on BDNF expression in CA1 and CA3 regions of rats' hippocampus after chronic hypoxia

Objectives Brain is vulnerable to deprivation of oxygen supply during hypoxia, and therefore undergoes neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction. Regarded to Regenerative capacities of Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and insulin at the site of injury, we were aimed to evaluate the effect of Wharton's jelly MSCs and insulin on degenerative consequences induced by chronic hypoxia. Methods 36 male rats were randomly divided into six groups: Control (C), Sham1-saline (Sh1), Sham2-surgery (Sh2), Hypoxia (H), Hypoxia + Insulin (HI), Hypoxia + MSCs (HCs). Animals were exposed to hypoxic chamber (8% O2, 92% N2) for 30 days (4 hours/day) in H, HI and HCs groups. Intranasal insulin and stereotaxical MSCs in HI and HCs were used, respectively. Spatial learning and memory were analyzed using the Morris water maze task. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene expression was studied in the hippocampus by real time-PCR. Results BDNF had the significant depletion in HI group and magnification in HI and HCs groups comparing with C and Sh groups (P < 0.05). Insulin and MSCs improve hypoxia's signs such as BDNF gene expression fallen and memory impairment. Conclusion In conclusion, we indicated that use of insulin hormone and MSCs as neuroprotective and stimulating factors for neurogenesis, could be beneficial in neurodegenerative damage induced by hypoxia.