Effect of bone marrow stem cell transplantation on mdx mice at different ages

AIM: To study the effect of bone marrow stem cell transplantation on mdx mice at different ages. METHODS: The bone marrow stem cells of C57BL/6 mice (4-to-weeks age) were cultured in vitro for 3 days, then injected intravenously into the 6-week and 8-week aged mdx, which were preconditioned with 7 Gy γ ray. 12 weeks after being transplanted, the mdx mice were studied for the dystrophin protein expression on the skeletal muscle membrane. RESULTS: Three months after transplanted with bone marrow stem cells, about 16% and 7% muscles cells in 6-week and 8-week mdx mice expressed dystrophin protein， respectively. CONCLUSION: 12 weeks after transplantation with bone marrow stem cells of homologous series mice, different amounts of dystrophin protein expressed on the membrane of skeletal muscle cells were observed in different aged mdx mice. Bone marrow stem cell transplantation show more benefic effect for younger mdx mice.