title: Outer electrospun polycaprolactone shell induces massive foreign body reaction and impairs axonal regeneration through 3D multichannel chitosan nerve guides.
abstract: We report on the performance of composite nerve grafts with an inner 3D multichannel porous chitosan core and an outer electrospun polycaprolactone shell. The inner chitosan core provided multiple guidance channels for regrowing axons. To analyze the in vivo properties of the bare chitosan cores, we separately implanted them into an epineural sheath. The effects of both graft types on structural and functional regeneration across a 10 mm rat sciatic nerve gap were compared to autologous nerve transplantation (ANT). The mechanical biomaterial properties and the immunological impact of the grafts were assessed with histological techniques before and after transplantation in vivo. Furthermore during a 13-week examination period functional tests and electrophysiological recordings were performed and supplemented by nerve morphometry. The sheathing of the chitosan core with a polycaprolactone shell induced massive foreign body reaction and impairment of nerve regeneration. Although the isolated novel chitosan core did allow regeneration of axons in a similar size distribution as the ANT, the ANT was superior in terms of functional regeneration. We conclude that an outer polycaprolactone shell should not be used for the purpose of bioartificial nerve grafting, while 3D multichannel porous chitosan cores could be candidate scaffolds for structured nerve grafts.
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3116-174X
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duda
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstraße 36, 30167 Hannover, Germany ; 3Institute for Biophysics, Leibniz University Hannover, Herrenhäuser Straße 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany" for the sake of consistency Institute for Biophysics, Leibniz University Hannover, Herrenhäuser Straße 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4380-890X
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dreyer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstraße 36, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Behrens
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstraße 36, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Soenke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wienecke
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstraße 36, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Tanmay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chakradeo
authors.affiliation: Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, Callinstraße 36, 30167 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Glasmacher
authors.affiliation: Hannover Medical School, Institute for Neuroanatomy, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany ; Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN) Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2502-8969
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haastert-Talini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology*; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000139:chemically induced*; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000379:methods*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D058748:Pain Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D011091:Polyesters / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D048271:Chitosan