title: In vivo integration of poly(ε-caprolactone)/gelatin nanofibrous nerve guide seeded with teeth derived stem cells for peripheral nerve regeneration.
abstract: Artificial nanofiber nerve guides have gained huge interest in bridging nerve gaps and associated peripheral nerve regeneration due to its high surface area, flexibility and porous structure. In this study, electrospun poly (ε-caprolactone)/gelatin (PCL/Gel) nanofibrous mats were fabricated, rolled around a copper wire and fixed by medical grade adhesive to obtain a tubular shaped bio-graft, to bridge 10 mm sciatic nerve gap in in vivo rat models. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous tooth (SHED) were transplanted to the site of nerve injury through the nanofibrous nerve guides. In vivo experiments were performed in animal models after creating a sciatic nerve gap, such that the nerve gap was grafted using (i) nanofiber nerve guide (ii) nanofiber nerve guide seeded with SHED (iii) suturing, while an untreated nerve gap remained as the negative control. In vitro cell culture study was carried out for primary investigation of SHED-nanofiber interaction and its viability within the nerve guides after 2 and 16 weeks of implantation time. Walking track analysis, plantar test, electrophysiology and immunohistochemistry were performed to evaluate functional recovery during nerve regeneration. Vascularization was also investigated by hematoxilin/eosine (H&E) staining. Overall results showed that the SHED seeded on nanofibrous nerve guide could survive and promote axonal regeneration in rat sciatic nerves, whereby the biocompatible PCL/Gel nerve guide with cells can support axonal regeneration and could be a promising tissue engineered graft for peripheral nerve regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biotechnology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran; Materials Engineering Department, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad-Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Beigi
authors.forename: Laleh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghasemi-Mobarakeh
authors.forename: Molamma P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Prabhakaran
authors.forename: Khadijeh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karbalaie
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Azadeh
authors.forename: Seeram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramakrishna
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Baharvand
authors.forename: Mohammad-Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nasr-Esfahani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005780:Gelatin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D005780:Gelatin
keywords: electrospinning; nerve guide; peripheral nerve regeneration; stem cells