Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Improve Rat Bladder Dysfunction After Pelvic Nerve Transection

The effects of human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs) transplantation on bladder dysfunction after pelvic nerve transection (PNT) remain to be clarified. Five groups of female Sprague-Dawley rats were studied including sham operation, unilateral PNT alone or plus hAFSCs transplantation, and bilateral PNT alone or plus hAFSCs transplantation. hAFSCs were injected at the site of PNT. Cystometries, neurofilament density within bladder nerves, and the expressions of bladder protein gene-product 9.5 (PGP9.5), growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), nerve growth factor (NGF), p75 (NGF receptor), CXCL12, CCL7, and enkephalin were studied. Compared to sham-operation group, bladder weight increased and neurofilament density decreased at 10 and 28 days after unilateral and bilateral PNT, but all improved after hAFSCs transplantation. Unilateral PNT could increase bladder capacity, residual volume, and number of nonvoiding contractions but decrease peak voiding pressure and leak point pressure. Bilateral PNT caused overflow incontinence and increased the number of nonvoiding contractions. These cystometric parameters improved after hAFSCs transplantation. After PNT, bladder PGP9.5 mRNA and immunoreactivities decreased at 10 and 28 days, GAP-43 mRNA and immunoreactivities increased at 10 days and decreased at 28 days, both NGF and p75 mRNAs and immunoreactivities increased at 10 and/or 28 days, and enkephalin immunoreactivities decreased at 10 and 28 days, but these were all improved after hAFSCs transplantation. Our results showed that bladder dysfunction induced by PNT could be improved by hAFSCs transplantation, and PGP9.5, GAP-43, and neurotrophins could be involved in the mechanisms of nerve regeneration after hAFSCs transplantation.