Targeted inhibition of STAT3 in neural stem cells promotes neuronal differentiation and functional recovery in rats with spinal cord injury

STAT3 is expressed in neural stem cells (NSCs), where a number of studies have previously shown that involved regulating NSC differentiation. However, the possible molecular mechanism and role spinal cord injury (SCI) remain unclear. In present study, potential effect NSCs was first investigated by using short hairpin RNA (shRNA)‑mediated knockdown rat in vitro. Immunofluorescence β3‑tubulin glial fibrillary acidic protein staining western blotting showed knocking down expression promoted neuronal differentiation, activity mTOR upregulated. Subsequently, rats underwent laminectomy complete transection followed transplantation transfected with control‑shRNA or STAT3‑shRNA at injured site vivo. Spinal cord‑evoked potentials Basso‑Beattie‑Bresnahan scores were used to examine functional recovery. addition, axonal regeneration tissue repair assessed retrograde tracing FluoroGold, hematoxylin eosin, Nissl immunofluorescence β3‑tubulin, microtubule‑associated 2 following SCI. The results STAT3‑RNA enhanced recovery SCI rats, addition improving differentiation transplanted site. Taken together, vitro vivo evidence inhibiting could promote demonstrated study. Therefore, knocked appears hold promising for enhancing benefit NSC‑mediated regenerative cell therapy