Application of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in promoting the recovery of skin injury of a case exposed to"5.7"192Ir source radiological accident in Nanjing

Objective To explore the efficiency and mechanism of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) in wound healing, which is used for therapying a case with mild bone marrow form of acute radiation sickness combined with degree Ⅳ acute radiation-induced skin injury. Methods The hUC-MSCs available from Shanghai Cord Blood Bank was administrated intravenously, following etiology tests, to the patient at a dosage of 10.1×106 U each time on days 8, 15 after the second skin flap transplantation; the chimera starus of hUC-MSCs transplantation were observed by using short tandem repeats-PCR(STR-PCR) method; and the expressions of VEGF in serum and wound tissues were detected on first day before and after the first injection and on first day before and after, and 7th day after the second injection with immunohistochemistry. Results After hUC-MSCs intravenous injection, the radiation-induced skin injury had been healing gradually. The results of STR-PC showed that hUC-MSCs implants couldn't be detected. As was shown from the ELISA analysis, 1 day after hUC-MSCs intravenous injection, the expressions of VEGF in serum had risen significantly, respectively, from 100.9 to 895.9 ng/ml for the first infusion and from 128.1 to 931.4 ng/ml for the second, and in wounded from 122.2 to 850.8 ng/ml for the first infusion and from 138.6 to 978.6 ng/ml for the second, whereas there had been no significant changes in the results one week after and before hUC-MSCs injection. Conclusions hUC-MSCs can raise the expression of VEGF in serum and wound tissue and facilitate the healing of acute radiation-induced injury to a certain extent. Key words: 192Ir; Mild bone marrow form of acute radiation sickness from external exposure; Degree Ⅳ acute radiation-induced skin injury; hUC-MSCs; VEGF