Heat stroke is a severe systemic inflammatory response disease caused by high
fever, mainly with nervous system damage. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are currently believed to have anti-
inflammation and immunomodulatory effects. Therefore, we aimed to explore the protective effect and mechanism of MSCs on
heat stroke-induced excessive
inflammation and neurological dysfunction. We established a
heat stroke model in rats under conditions of continuous high temperature and high humidity. After modeling, rats were randomly divided into
heat stroke model group, MSCs treatment group and normal temperature control group without any treatment. We performed survival analysis, neurological deficit score, histological staining of hippocampus and cerebellum, immunofluorescence staining of microglia, detection of inflammatory and
chemokine levels in the hippocampus and cerebellum in each group. We found that MSCs treatment not only significantly reduced early (day 3) and late (day 28) mortality, but also prominently reduced nerve injury in
heat stroke rats, and improved pathology and neuronal cell damage in the hippocampus and cerebellum. In addition, MSCs treatment can significantly inhibit the over-activation of hippocampal microglia in
heat stroke rats and the levels of pro-inflammatory factors and
chemokines in the hippocampus. Early treatment of MSCs can greatly promote the activation of cerebellar microglia in
heat stroke rats. Meanwhile, MSCs treatment has an inhibitory effect on the level of
chemokine in the cerebellum of rats in the early stage of
heat stroke. In conclusion, the application of MSCs in the treatment of
heat stroke in rats can significantly reduce mortality and neurological deficits and improve hippocampal damage, possibly by inhibiting the excessive activation of hippocampal microglia in
heat stroke rats.