en Radiation Biology Radiation Biology تحقيق بديع Original Research <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:10pt"><span style="text-justify:newspaper"><span style="text-kashida-space:50%"><span style="line-height:119%"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="color:black"><span lang="en-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="color:#1f497d"><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-weight:bold"><span style="language:en-US">Background</span></span></span></span></span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="color:#1f497d"><span style="font-weight:bold"><span style="language:en-US">:</span></span></span></span></span> <span lang="en-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="language:en-US">Radiation-induced peripheral neuropathy (RIPN) is one of the severe adverse effects of radiation therapy that significantly reduces patient quality of life. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) exert beneficial effects on nerve regeneration following injury. We hypothesized that BMSCs are a potential treatment option for RIPN. This study aimed to evaluate the radioprotective effects of BMSCs on RIPN in a rat model. </span></span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="color:#1f497d"><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-weight:bold"><span style="language:en-US">Materials and Methods: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="language:en-US">The right sciatic nerves of fifty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were locally irradiated with a single dose of 30 Gy X-rays. The rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 18): Radiation control (RC), Radiation + BMSCs (RB) and Radiation + phosphate-buffered solution (RP). BMSCs and phosphate-buffered solution were administered via gastrocnemius muscle injection 24 hours after radiation exposure. Gait analysis, electrophysiological examinations and morphological examinations were performed subsequently. </span></span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="color:#1f497d"><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-weight:bold"><span style="language:en-US">Results: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="language:en-US">No significant differences were observed between the RC and RP groups. Evaluation of the sciatic functional index demonstrated no statistical differences between the three groups after 4, 12 and 24 weeks. The RB group showed better improvement than either RC or RP group, as evidenced by increased motor nerve conductive velocity, expression level of S-100, mean diameter of the axon and thickness of the myelin sheath and decreased perineural scar tissue. </span></span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="color:#1f497d"><span style="font-style:italic"><span style="font-weight:bold"><span style="language:en-US">Conclusion: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span lang="en-US" style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri"><span style="language:en-US">The present study indicated that BMSCs can improve the electrophysiological and morphological features of radiation exposed sciatic nerves, and have therapeutic potential for RIPN management.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div> Radiation injury, mesenchymal stem cell, peripheral nerve, sciatic nerve. 861 867 http://ijrr.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-1250&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Y. Zhang zhangyong8891@163.com 7900319475328460028474 7900319475328460028474 Yes Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, China JP. Zhou 7900319475328460028475 7900319475328460028475 No Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, China JJ. Zhao 7900319475328460028476 7900319475328460028476 No Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, China ZC. Zuo 7900319475328460028477 7900319475328460028477 No Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, China JZ. Qin 7900319475328460028478 7900319475328460028478 No Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, China