Anisotropic Silk-Inspired Nerve Conduit with Peptides Improved the Microenvironment for Long-Distance Peripheral
Xiaoxuan Tang1,2, Xinyi Gu1, Tingting Huang1
1Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Jiangsu Clinical Medicine Center of Tissue Engineering and Nerve Injury Repair, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, PR China.
ACS Macro Letters
|May 13, 2022
Summary
This study presents a silk-inspired hydrogel system that enhances peripheral nerve regeneration by combining topography and adhesive cues. The developed nerve guidance conduits promote cell growth and function recovery for long-distance nerve injuries.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Peripheral nerve regeneration after long-distance injuries remains challenging due to inadequate microenvironments.
- Current nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) often lack effective bioactivity for optimal nerve repair.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a silk-inspired, phototriggered hydrogel system for enhanced peripheral nerve regeneration.
- To incorporate dual therapeutic cues: anisotropic topography and adhesive ligands (Arg-Gly-Asp peptide).
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a silk-inspired hydrogel system with phototriggered gelation.
- Immobilization of Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides onto hydrogel scaffolds.
- Integration of aligned grooved micropatterns to guide cell and axon growth.
Main Results:
- The RGD-peptide-immobilized hydrogels enhanced Schwann cell recruitment and myelination, promoting axon growth.
- Aligned grooved micropatterns facilitated oriented Schwann cell growth and accelerated axon regeneration.
- The multifunctional system demonstrated remarkable nerve regeneration and functional recovery in long-distance nerve injury models.
Conclusions:
- The developed bioengineered silk-inspired NGC is a promising platform for peripheral nerve repair.
- Combining anisotropic topography and adhesive cues in NGCs significantly improves nerve regeneration outcomes.
- This approach offers a potential solution for treating challenging long-distance peripheral nerve injuries.
