In the present study, we transplanted bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into the CA3 area of the hippocampus of chronic epilepsy rats kindled by lithium chloride-pilocarpine. Immunofluorescence and western blotting revealed an increase in adenosine A1 receptor expression and a decrease in adenosine A2a receptor expression in the brain tissues of epileptic rats 3 months after transplantation. Moreover, the imbalance in the A1 adenosine receptor/A2a adenosine receptor ratio was improved. Electroencephalograms showed that frequency and amplitude of spikes in the hippocampus and frontal lobe were reduced. These results suggested that mesenchymal stem cell transplantation can reconstruct the normal function of the adenosine system in the brain and greatly improve epileptiform discharges.
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