Electrical gastrodin-polyurethane spiral conduits with micro/nano-structure for accelerating peripheral nerve...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Peripheral nerve injuries disrupt neural connections, leading to sensory and motor deficits.
• Existing nerve conduits often fail to adequately support axonal regeneration.
• There is a need for advanced nerve guidance conduits that promote directional regrowth and functional recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a 3D nanofibrous polyurethane scaffold with oriented microchannels for enhanced peripheral nerve regeneration.
• To incorporate gastrodin and aniline trimer (AT) to impart immunoregulatory and conductive properties.
• To evaluate the scaffold's efficacy in promoting neural cell proliferation, Schwann cell migration, and axonal elongation both in vitro and in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 3D nanofibrous scaffold using electrospinning and manual curling techniques.
• Grafting gastrodin and aniline trimer (AT) onto the polyurethane (PU) scaffold to create gastrodin-PU-AT.
• In vitro studies using neural cells and PC12 cells to assess cell proliferation and neurite outgrowth.
• In vivo experiments in animal models to evaluate scaffold performance in promoting nerve regeneration, reducing inflammation, and enhancing vascularization.

Main Results:

• The engineered scaffold exhibited oriented microchannels that facilitated cell spreading and directional axonal growth.
• Gastrodin promoted neural cell proliferation and neuroblast gene expression.
• Electroactive AT, combined with electrical stimulation, accelerated Schwann cell elongation and neurite outgrowth.
• In vivo studies demonstrated reduced inflammation, increased vascularization, and enhanced nerve signal transmission.
• The scaffold promoted remyelination via upregulation of Rap1 and mTOR signaling pathways, leading to improved functional and structural regeneration.

Conclusions:

• The developed gastrodin-PU-AT scaffold offers a promising strategy for peripheral nerve repair.
• The scaffold's unique structure and bioactive components create a pro-healing microenvironment.
• This advanced nerve conduit design has the potential to significantly improve outcomes for long-distance peripheral nerve injuries.