Vascular endothelial growth factor (
VEGF) stimulation and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC)
transplantation have been implicated in the treatment of acute
cerebral infarction for their pivotal roles in behavioral recovery, neuroprotection, neurogenesis, and angiogenesis. However, the effects of BMSC transplants are likely limited because of low transplant survival after acute
cerebral infarction, and delivery of
VEGF alone also has limited effects on recovery because the
protein is cleared quickly. This study attempted to explore whether
VEGF could be transferred into BMSC via an adenovirus and whether transplanting
VEGF-transfected BMSC into the rat brain provides sufficient neuroprotection after transient
middle cerebral artery occlusion. The adenovirus carried
VEGF into BMSC (Ad-
VEGF-BMSC), and purified adenovirus was transferred into BMSC (Ad-BMSC). Western blots were used to detect the expression of
VEGF protein after transfection. Rats exposed to 90-min
middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) were treated with Ad-
VEGF-BMSC, Ad-BMSC, BMSC and Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) after
ischemia reperfusion for 24h. The
Sham group only received surgery. After
transplantation of Ad-
VEGF-BMSC into the perifocal area of the ischemic rat brain, we found increased expression and secretion of
VEGF and
BDNF as well as a higher level of MAP2, increased microvascular density, improved behavioral function and enhanced BMSC survival. Our results indicated that
transplantation of Ad-
VEGF-BMSC improved ischemic neurological deficiency after MCAO in rats. This finding provides a potential valuable therapeutic intervention for cerebral ischemic diseases.