title: Melt-extruded guides for peripheral nerve regeneration. Part I: poly(epsilon-caprolactone).
abstract: Melt-extruded guides for peripheral nerve repair based on poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) were realised and their physico-chemical properties were evaluated. Preliminarily, PCL cast films were found to support the attachment and proliferation of Neonatal Olfactory Bulb Ensheating Cells (NOBEC). S5Y5 neuroblastoma cells were cultured inside PCL guides in their uncoated form or coated with a non-specific adhesion protein (gelatin) and a specific peptide for nerve regeneration (poly(L-lysine)). Coating increased cell density (gelatin) and/or the cell density rate on substrates (poly(L-lysine); gelatin) as compared to uncoated guides. Various in vivo tests were carried out for the repair of small (0.5 cm), medium (1.5 cm) and long (4.5 cm) size defects in the peripheral nerves of Wistar rats. For the small nerve defects, uncoated and coated PCL guides were tested. Results from in vivo tests were subjected to histological examination after 45 days, 6 and 8 months postoperative for small, medium and large defects, respectively. Regeneration was found for small and medium size defects. For 0.5 cm defects, the coating did not affect regeneration significantly. Grip-tests also evidenced functional recovery for the 1.5 cm-long defects treated with PCL guides, after 6 months from implantation. On the other hand, mechanical stiffness of PCL conduits impaired the repair of 4.5 cm-long defects in 8-month period: the lack of flexibility of the guide to rat movements caused its detachment from the implant site. The research showed that PCL guides can be used for the successful repair of small and medium size nerve defects, with possible improvements by suitable bio-mimetic coatings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Industrial Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Pisa, Via Diotisalvi 2, 56126 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chiono
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vozzi
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vozzi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salvadori
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dini
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carlucci
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arispici
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burchielli
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Scipio
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geuna
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornaro
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tos
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nicolino
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Audisio
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Perroteau
authors.forename: Adelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiaravalloti
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Domenici
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giusti
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciardelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D044367:Phase Transition; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013818:Thermogravimetry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone