Neural stem cells over-expressing brain-derived neurotrophic factor promote neuronal survival and cytoskeletal protein expression in traumatic brain injury sites.

Cytoskeletal proteins are involved in neuronal survival. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor can increase expression of cytoskeletal proteins during regeneration after axonal injury. However, the effect of neural stem cells genetically modified by brain-derived neurotrophic factor transplantation on neuronal survival in the injury site still remains unclear.