Similar to DRG NSCs in vitro, neural differentiation was also evident in transplanted aDRG NSCs. Expression of Hu, an RNA binding protein, and β-III-tubulin were detected. We found that transplanted neural crest-derived DRG NSCs maintain multipotency when transplanted into the spinal cord. Sensory properties included expression of TrpV1 and pNF200 in the RFP+ aDRG NSCs after transplant. TrpV1 immunostaining/RFP+ and pNF200 immunostaining/RFP+ was found in the dorsal columns. Endogenous expression of TrpV1 was evident in the dorsal horn and pNF200 myelinated sensory fibers remained in the dorsal columns, ventrolateral white matter, and in DRG. Many studies have transplanted NSCs into the CNS. Thus, our results demonstrate that aDRG-derived NSCs are capable of sensory differentiation after transplantation in the injured spinal cord. Sensory differentiation of aDRG NSCs suggests a potential application in transplanting these NSCs for sensory deficits in addition to other known NSC transplant treatments for spinal cord injury (21). One of the known benefits for transplanting DRG cells into the injured spinal cord is their ability to overcome inhibitory proteoglycans and grow into and beyond the injury penumbra (7), suggesting another future application for DRG NSCs.
