Enhanced Nerve Regeneration by Bionic Conductive Nerve Scaffold Under Electrical Stimulation.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Peripheral nerve defects (PNDs) with poor prognosis are challenging to treat.
• Current neural conduits do not match the efficacy of autologous nerve transplantation.
• Bionic conductive nerve scaffolds offer a novel strategy for PND treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate bionic conductive nerve scaffolds for peripheral nerve regeneration.
• To compare the efficacy of these scaffolds with and without electrical stimulation (ES) against autologous nerve grafts.
• To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying enhanced nerve regeneration.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of bionic conductive nerve scaffolds using aligned poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) fibers and multi-microchannel conductive structures.
• Implantation of scaffolds into rat sciatic nerve defects, with groups including scaffold only (S), scaffold with ES (S&E), and autologous nerve transplantation (AT).
• Assessment of nerve regeneration through histological analysis, immunohistochemistry, and evaluation of key protein expressions (NF-H, S100-β, LRP4, MAPK pathway components).

Main Results:

• Bionic conductive scaffolds exhibited favorable biocompatibility and mechanical properties similar to aligned PLLA fiber mats.
• The S&E group showed nerve regeneration outcomes comparable to the AT group and superior to the S group.
• Enhanced expression of NF-H and S100-β was observed in the S&E group, while AT group showed higher LRP4 and MAPK pathway activation.

Conclusions:

• Bionic conductive nerve scaffolds combined with ES significantly enhance peripheral nerve regeneration.
• This approach provides a viable alternative to autologous nerve grafts for PND treatment.
• ERK, p38 MAPK, MEK, and LRP4 signaling pathways are potentially involved in ES-mediated nerve regeneration.