The effect of VEGF-containing bacterial cellulose/chitosan graft on regeneration in rat sciatic nerve injury

Autograft application is the gold standard in the treatment of peripheral nerve damage, but alternative graft materials are needed. This study examines the effects of bacterial cellulose (BC) graft and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) impregnated in bacterial cellulose graft on peripheral nerve repair.

Bacterial cellulose derived from Gluconacetobacter xylinus cell culture was impregnated with 0.2 µm/ml VEGF and formed into conduits. Unilateral 8 mm sciatic nerve defect was created in Wistar rats (n = 18). Rats were divided into three groups as autograft (n = 6), BC/Cs (n = 6) and VEGF-BC/Cs (n = 6). Gait analysis and electromyography (EMG) measurements were performed at the end of the 8th week. Sciatic nerve tissues were taken for histological analysis. Myelinated axon numbers and vascular structures were examined in sections stained with toluidine blue under a light microscope.

According to the sciatic function index obtained from gait analysis and the EMG measurements, at the end of the 8th week, both graft groups obtained similar results to the autograft group. Analyses of myelinated axon counts, axon diameters, and myelin sheath thickness revealed similar results between the autograft and VEGF-BC/Cs groups. Examining the quantity of vessels and their diameters, the VEGF-BC/Cs group showed a significantly higher number of vessels than the other groups (p < 0.0001).

In the treatment of peripheral nerve injury, the application of VEGF-BC/Cs gave functional and histologically similar healing results to autograft. The positive effect of VEGF application on nerve regeneration was also observed by increasing the formation of new vessels.