Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39885909›Full record

ArticleExperimental and therapeutic medicine2025

Intrathecal transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells enhances spinal cord injury recovery: Role of miR‑124‑3p as a biomarker.

Yitong Zheng, Yongxin Wang, Wen Liu, Mujite A, Yabin Li, Xiaohu Ma, Mieradili Abulimiti, Nuerailijiang Maimaitiaili, Hu Qin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Experimental and therapeutic medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yitong ZhengDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000, P.R. China.
Yongxin WangDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000, P.R. China.
Wen LiuDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000, P.R. China.
Mujite ADepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000, P.R. China.
Yabin LiDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000, P.R. China.
Xiaohu MaDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000, P.R. China.
Mieradili AbulimitiDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000, P.R. China.
Nuerailijiang MaimaitiailiDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000, P.R. China.
Hu QinDepartment of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 830000, P.R. China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe condition that often leads to permanent functional impairments. The current treatment options are limited and there is a need for more effective treatments. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) have shown promise in promoting neuroregeneration and modulating immune response. In addition, miR-124-3p has been identified as a potential biomarker for monitoring the progress of neural repair, making it a focus of the present study, which used a rat model of SCI to evaluate the effects of intrathecal hUCMSC transplantation. The present study included three groups: A sham-operated group, an SCI model group receiving PBS and an SCI group receiving hUCMSCs. Neurological function was assessed using the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale and Rivlin inclined plane test on days 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 post-injury. Histological analysis included hematoxylin and eosin staining to assess tissue morphology, Nissl staining to evaluate neuron survival and immunofluorescence to detect bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)+/neuron-specific enolase (NSE)+ cells, which indicate neurogenesis. Detection of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein expression at various time points in rats with spinal cord injury using western blotting. miR-124-3p expression was quantified using reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR to assess its potential as a biomarker for SCI recovery. The hUCMSC group showed significant improvements in motor function compared with the control group, particularly on days 7 and 14 post-injury. Histological analysis revealed reduced scar tissue formation and increased neuron survival in the hUCMSC group. Immunofluorescence analysis showed a higher number of BrdU+/NSE+ cells in the hUCMSC group, indicating enhanced neurogenesis. The expression of the neurorepair-related protein BDNF was markedly higher in the hUCMSCs group compared with the control group. Furthermore, RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated a marked upregulation of miR-124-3p in the hUCMSC group, which was correlated with improved functional recovery. The present study demonstrated that intrathecal transplantation of hUCMSCs notably enhanced recovery following SCI, probably by promoting neurogenesis and modulating miR-124-3p expression. miR-124-3p upregulation in the hUCMSC group highlighted its potential as a biomarker for tracking the progress of SCI recovery. These findings provided a foundation for the future clinical applications of hUCMSCs in SCI treatment and the use of miR-124-3p as a monitoring tool.

Indexed as

biomarkerfunctional recoveryhuman umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cellsintrathecal transplantationmiR-124-3pneurogenesisspinal cord injurystem cell therapy

Identifiers

PMID39885909
PMCPMC11775723

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.