A novel artificial nerve graft for repairing longdistance sciatic nerve defects： a self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold-containing poly（lactic-co-glycolic acid） conduit

• Published in: 中国神经再生研究：英文版 Vol. 9; no. 24; pp. 2132 - 2141
• Main Author: Xianghai Wang Mengjie Pan Jinkun Wen Yinjuan Tang Audra D. Hamilton Yuanyuan Li Changhui Qian Zhongying Liu Wutian Wu Jiasong Guo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: 乙醇酸; 乳酸; 人工神经; 坐骨神经; 导管; 植物修复; 纳米纤维; 自组装
• ISSN: 1673-5374

In this study, we developed a novel artificial nerve graft termed self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold （SAPNS）-containing poly（lactic-co-glycolic acid） （PLGA） conduit （SPC） and used it to bridge a 10-mm-long sciatic nerve defect in the rat. Retrograde tracing, behavioral testing and histomorphometric analyses showed that compared with the empty PLGA conduit implantation group, the SPC implantation group had a larger number of growing and extending axons, a markedly increased diameter of regenerated axons and a greater thickness of the myelin sheath in the conduit. Furthermore, there was an increase in the size of the neuromuscular junction and myofiber diameter in the target muscle. These findings suggest that the novel artificial SPC nerve graft can promote axonal regeneration and remyelination in the transected peripheral nerve and can be used for repairing peripheral nerve injury.