Engineered basic fibroblast growth factor‑overexpressing human umbilical cord‑derived mesenchymal stem cells improve the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells and functional recovery of spinal cord injury by activating the PI3K‑Akt‑GSK‑3β signaling pathway

This study investigates the potential of using genetically modified human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUCMSCs) to treat spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice. The HUCMSCs were modified to overexpress basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a protein known to promote nerve regeneration. The researchers found that these modified cells, when injected into mice with SCI, improved functional recovery, reduced glial scar formation, and promoted nerve regeneration. They also found that the modified cells stimulated the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) through a specific signaling pathway. The study also assessed the safety of using these modified cells for clinical applications and found that they met the required safety standards, suggesting that this approach could be a promising therapeutic strategy for SCI.

• 1
  bFGF-overexpressing HUCMSCs met the standards and safety of MSCs for clinic use, indicating their potential for clinical translation.
• 2
  In a mouse SCI model, bFGF-overexpressing HUCMSCs markedly improved therapeutic outcomes, including reducing glial scar formation and improving nerve regeneration.
• 3
  bFGF-overexpressing HUCMSCs promoted the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of NSCs in vitro through the PI3K-Akt-GSK-3β pathway, contributing to SCI recovery.