Effects of bFGF-incorporated gelatin hydrogel and bone marrow-derived Schwann cell transplantation after spinal cord contusion injury in rats

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We investigated the effects of a sustained-release system of bFGF from gelatin hydrogel in a rat spinal cord contusion model.One week after spinal cord contusion, gelatin hydrogel (GH) containing bFGF (20μg) was injected into the lesion epicenter of rats. Locomotor recovery was assessed over nine weeks by BBB testing. Sensory abnormalities in the hind paws of all the rats were evaluated at five, seven, and nine weeks.Although BBB scores were better in the bFGF-GH and GH groups than in the saline group, the differences did not reach statistical significance. The bFGF-GH group showed significantly less sensory abnormalities than the saline group at seven weeks.Our study findings suggest that bFGF-incorporated gelatin hydrogel could have therapeutic potential for alleviating mechanical allodynia following spinal cord injury.