Exosomes derived from menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells and treadmill training restore motor function following SCI by activating PI3K/Akt pathway

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Background Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a global challenge due to limited neural regeneration and functional recovery. Emerging therapies, such as mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes and exercise training, have shown promise, but their individual efficacy is insufficient. The synergistic effects of menstrual blood-derived mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MenSCs-Exo) and weight-supported treadmill training (WSTT) in SCI repair remain unclear. This study investigated their combined therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms in SCI rats. Methods A T10 spinal cord hemisection model was conducted in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, which were randomized into five groups: Sham, SCI, Exo (200 µg MenSCs-Exo via tail vein injection every 48 h for 4 doses), TT (WSTT starting on day 3 post-SCI), and Exo + TT. Motor function was evaluated using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scale and CatWalk XT ® gait analysis. Histological assessments included hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson's trichrome staining, immunofluorescence for β-tubulin III (Tuj1) and myelin basic protein (MBP), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Western blot analyzed fibrosis-related proteins (COL1, COL3, α-SMA) and PI3K/AKT pathway activation (p-AKT, PI3K, β-catenin, LEF1). Results Combined Exo + TT significantly improved motor function compared to monotherapies. BBB scores in t

Evidence level

Evidence from laboratory and animal studies provides groundwork for understanding mechanisms and potential before human studies continue.

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