title: PLGA artificial nerve conduits with dental pulp cells promote facial nerve regeneration.
abstract: A number of recent studies have shown the effectiveness of tubulation, using neural progenitor cells or Schwann cells, for promoting nerve regeneration. However, the use of neural cells from other neural donor tissues has potentially serious clinical complications. Therefore, we focused on dental pulp as a new cell source for use in such artificial conditions. Previously, we showed that silicone tubes filled with dental pulp cells (DPCs) promoted facial nerve regeneration in rats. However, the use of silicone tubes requires a secondary removal operation because they may give rise to chronic inflammation and pain. Therefore, to avoid this procedure, a new artificial device was prepared from a degradable poly-DL-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) tube containing DPCs, and its effectiveness for repairing gaps in the facial nerves of rats was investigated. A PLGA tube containing rat DPCs embedded in a collagen gel was transplanted into a gap in a rat facial nerve. Five days after transplantation, the facial nerves connected by the PLGA tubes containing DPCs were repaired more quickly than the control nerves. The PLGA tubes were resorbed in vivo and nerve regeneration was observed 2 months after the transplantation. Immunostaining showed that Tuj1-positive axons were present in the regenerated nerves 2 months after transplantation, and osmium-toluidine blue staining showed no mineralization of the regenerated nerves in those tubes containing myelinated fibres after 9 weeks. PLGA tubes filled with DPCs promoted nerve regeneration and were readily resorbed in vivo.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. sasaki@oms.twmu.ac.jp
authors: Ryo
authors: R
authors: Sasaki
authors: Shunsuke
authors: S
authors: Aoki
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Yamato
authors: Hiroto
authors: H
authors: Uchiyama
authors: Keiji
authors: K
authors: Wada
authors: Hideki
authors: H
authors: Ogiuchi
authors: Teruo
authors: T
authors: Okano
authors: Tomohiro
authors: T
authors: Ando
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D005154:Facial Nerve; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000628:therapy; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008297:Male; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000637:transplantation*; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation; D013997:Time Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D003094:Collagen