Aim: 

Autonomic dysreflexia is an episodic disturbance of cardiovascular functions in subjects with spinal cord injury above the level of T6. In this study we examined the effect of transplanted olfactory ensheathing cells on cardiovascular responses in rats with spinal cord injury.

Methods: 

Animals were implanted with a radio-telemetric transmitter for blood pressure monitoring. T4 transection was followed by transplantation of biodegradable gelatine sponge soaked with olfactory ensheathing cells (cell-treated, n = 106) or culture medium (control group) inserted between the cut surfaces. We used colorectal distension to induce autonomic dysreflexia expressed as an increase in blood pressure and reflex drop of heart rate.

Results: 

Autonomic dysreflexia was fully developed 3 weeks after the spinal cord transection. The cellular therapy did not effect the maximum changes in blood pressure and heart rate. However, the recovery of blood pressure in cell-treated rats was faster with T50 (time for the blood pressure to recover to 50% of the maximum deviation elicited by colorectal distension) significantly shorter (cell-treated: 159.7 ± 3.2 s; control: 183.8 ± 22.9 s; mean ± SD; p < 0.05). Baseline heart rate in rats with cell transplants was higher than in control animals whereas baseline blood pressures did not differ.

Conclusion: 

Transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells at the site of a transection spinal cord injury assists in limiting the duration of the hypertension associated with autonomic dysreflexia. This could result from trophic/regenerative changes in the spinal cord above or below T4. Further histological analysis is necessary to examine structural effects of the transplanted cells on the host spinal cord.