Abstract: Objective To explore the effect of transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) pretreated with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on acute ischemic stroke in mice.Methods NSCs from a newborn (one day) C57BL/6 mouse were isolated and cultured in vitro. A total of 150 healthy C57BL/6 mice, ten-week-old, were randomly divided into five groups, that group A accepted sham operation, and groups B, C, D and E were subjected to focal ischemia by photothrombosis. Group D was transplanted NSCs 24 hours after ischemia, while group E transplanted NSCs pretreated with BDNF and group C accepted same volume of medium. All the groups were tested with rotarod test and grip strength one day before transplantation and three, seven, 14, 21 and 28 days after transplantation. The differentiation of NSCs in groups D and E were observed immunofluorescence staining of microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).Results The time on rotarod arranged from more to less was groups E, D and B (P<0.05) three, seven, 14, 21 and 28 days after transplantation, as well as grip strength 14, 21 and 28 days after transplantation (P<0.05). The Edu/GFAP positive cells and Edu/MAP-2 positive cells were found in both groups D and E.Conclusion Transplanting NSCs can promote the behavioral recovery after ischemic stroke, and it is more effective as pretreated with BDNF.

Key words: ischemic stroke, neural stem cells, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, in vitro, transplantation