Figure 3

Implanted hMSCs induced increased mouse Adcyap1 expression after SCI. Mouse Adcyap1 (A) and Adcyap1r1 (B) expression levels in spinal cord after injury and in the presence and absence of injected hMSCs. (A) Although Adcyap1 expression in HBSS-treated animals decreases after SCI, in hMSC-treated animals it increases significantly. Gene expression levels are similar between HBSS-treated WT mice and hMSC-treated Adcyap1 ^+/− mice at 7 days. (B) Adcyap1r1 expression is similar for all experimental groups. Rplp1 is the large ribosomal protein P1 as a house keeping gene. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM. **P < 0.01 (Tukey post hoc test). (C) Multiple-immunostaining of PACAP or PAC1R (green) and nuclei (blue; DAPI). DAPI 4,6-Diamidine-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride, HBSS Hank’s balanced salt solution, MSC mesenchymal stem/stromal cell, PA ^+/− Adcyap1 (PACAP gene) heterozygous mice, PACAP pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide, PAC1R pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide specific receptor, wt wild-type.