BACKGROUND: Transplantation of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been shown to benefit spinal cord injury (SCI) repair. However, mechanisms of microenvironmental regulation during differentiation of transplanted MSCs remain poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To observe changes in nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression following transplantation of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs, and to explore the association between microenvironment and neural functional recovery following MSCs transplantation.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A randomized, controlled, animal experiment was performed at the Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from April 2005 to March 2007. MATERIALS: Human cord blood samples were provided by the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. Written informed consent was obtained. METHODS: A total of 62 Wister rats were randomly assigned to control (n = 18), model (n = 22, SCI + PBS), and transplantation (n = 22, SCI + MSCs) groups. The rat SCI model was established using the weight compression method. MSCs were isolated from human umbilical cord blood and cultured in vitro for several passages. 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled MSCs (24 hours before injection) were intravascularly transplanted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The rats were evaluated using the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor score and inclined plane tests. Transplanted cells were analyzed following immunohistochemistry. Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay was performed to determine NGF, BDNF, and IL-8 levels prior to and after cell transplantation.RESULTS: A large number of BrdU-positive MSCs were observed in the SCI region of the transplantation group, and MSCs were evenly distributed in injured spinal cord tissue 1 week after transplantation. BBB score and inclined plane test results revealed significant functional improvement in the transplantation group compared to the model group (P< 0.05), which was maintained for 2-3 weeks. Compared to the model group, NGF and BDNF levels were significantly increased in the injured region following MSCs transplantation at 3 weeks (P < 0.05), but IL-8 levels remained unchanged (P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: MSCs transplantation increased NGF and BDNF expression in injured spinal cord tissue. MSCs could promote neurological function recovery in SCI rats by upregulating NGF expression and improving regional microenvironments.