A Combined Conduit-Bioactive Hydrogel Approach for Regeneration of Transected Sciatic Nerves

Authors

Cheuk Sun Edwin Lai
Viridiana Leyva-Aranda
Victoria H Kong
Tania L Lopez-Silva
Adam C Farsheed
Carlo D Cristobal
Joseph W R Swain
Hyun Kyoung Lee
Jeffrey D Hartgerink

Language

English

Publication Date

4-21-2022

Journal

ACS Applied Bio Materials Journal

DOI

10.1021/acsabm.2c00132

PMID

35446025

PMCID

PMC11097895

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

5-16-2024

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Author MSS

Abstract

Transected peripheral nerve injury (PNI) affects the quality of life of patients, which leads to socioeconomic burden. Despite the existence of autografts and commercially available nerve guidance conduits (NGCs), the complexity of peripheral nerve regeneration requires further research in bioengineered NGCs to improve surgical outcomes. In this work, we introduce multidomain peptide (MDP) hydrogels, as intraluminal fillers, into electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) conduits to bridge 10 mm rat sciatic nerve defects. The efficacy of treatment groups was evaluated by electromyography and gait analysis to determine their electrical and motor recovery. We then studied the samples' histomorphometry with immunofluorescence staining and automatic axon counting/measurement software. Comparison with negative control group shows that PCL conduits filled with an anionic MDP may improve functional recovery 16 weeks postoperation, displaying higher amplitude of compound muscle action potential, greater gastrocnemius muscle weight retention, and earlier occurrence of flexion contracture. In contrast, PCL conduits filled with a cationic MDP showed the least degree of myelination and poor functional recovery. This phenomenon may be attributed to MDPs' difference in degradation time. Electrospun PCL conduits filled with an anionic MDP may become an attractive tissue engineering strategy for treating transected PNI when supplemented with other bioactive modifications.

Keywords

self-assembly, peptide, nerve guidance conduit, sciatic nerve transection, peripheral nerve regeneration, electromyography

Published Open-Access

yes

Recommended Citation

Lai, Cheuk Sun Edwin; Leyva-Aranda, Viridiana; Kong, Victoria H; et al., "A Combined Conduit-Bioactive Hydrogel Approach for Regeneration of Transected Sciatic Nerves" (2022). Duncan NRI Faculty and Staff Publications. 86.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/duncar_nri_pub/86