title: Cavernous nerve repair with allogenic adipose matrix and autologous adipose-derived stem cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether adipose-derived matrix seeded with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) can facilitate the repair of injured cavernous nerves (CNs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Human and rat adipose tissues were decellularized and fabricated into various forms, including adipose tissue-derived acellular matrix thread (ADMT). ADMT seeded with ADSC were transplanted into subcutaneous space and examined for signs of inflammation. ADSC-seeded ADMTs were then used to repair CN injury in rats, followed by assessment of histology and erectile function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adipose tissue can be fabricated into acellular matrices of various shapes and sizes, including threads and sheets. Seeding of ADMT occurred rapidly: within 24 hours, 55% of the surface was covered with ADSC and within 1 week, 90% was covered. Transplantation of the seeded ADMT into the subcutaneous space of an allogenic host showed no signs of inflammatory reaction. At 3 months after grafting into CN injury rats, approximately twice as many cells were found on seeded ADMT as on unseeded ADMT. The seeded ADMT also had various degrees of S100 and neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression, suggesting CN axonal ingrowth. Rats grafted with seeded ADMT overall had the best erectile function recovery when compared with those grafted with unseeded ADMT and those ungrafted. However, as a result of large variations, the differences did not reach statistic significance (P = .07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Grafting of ADSC-seeded matrix resulted in a substantial recovery of erectile function and improvement of histology. However, further refinement of the matrix architecture is needed to improve the success rate.
authors.affiliation: Knuppe Molecular Urology Laboratory, Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0738, USA.
authors.forename: Guiting
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albersen
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Harraz
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Fandel
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Mary H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: Badrinath R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Konety
authors.forename: Tom F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Lue
authors.forename: Ching-Shwun
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D010413:Penis / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*