title: Peripheral Nerve Repair: Multimodal Comparison of the Long-Term Regenerative Potential of Adipose Tissue-Derived Cells in a Biodegradable Conduit.
abstract: Tissue engineering is a popular topic in peripheral nerve repair. Combining a nerve conduit with supporting adipose-derived cells could offer an opportunity to prevent time-consuming Schwann cell culture or the use of an autograft with its donor site morbidity and eventually improve clinical outcome. The aim of this study was to provide a broad overview over promising transplantable cells under equal experimental conditions over a long-term period. A 10-mm gap in the sciatic nerve of female Sprague-Dawley rats (7 groups of 7 animals, 8 weeks old) was bridged through a biodegradable fibrin conduit filled with rat adipose-derived stem cells (rASCs), differentiated rASCs (drASCs), human (h)ASCs from the superficial and deep abdominal layer, human stromal vascular fraction (SVF), or rat Schwann cells, respectively. As a control, we resutured a nerve segment as an autograft. Long-term evaluation was carried out after 12 weeks comprising walking track, morphometric, and MRI analyses. The sciatic functional index was calculated. Cross sections of the nerve, proximal, distal, and in between the two sutures, were analyzed for re-/myelination and axon count. Gastrocnemius muscle weights were compared. MRI proved biodegradation of the conduit. Differentiated rat ASCs performed significantly better than undifferentiated rASCs with less muscle atrophy and superior functional results. Superficial hASCs supported regeneration better than deep hASCs, in line with published in vitro data. The best regeneration potential was achieved by the drASC group when compared with other adipose tissue-derived cells. Considering the ease of procedure from harvesting to transplanting, we conclude that comparison of promising cells for nerve regeneration revealed that particularly differentiated ASCs could be a clinically translatable route toward new methods to enhance peripheral nerve repair.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .|2 Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Elisabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kappos
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .|2 Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Patricia E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .|2 Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tremp
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .|2 Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Moritz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyer zu Schwabedissen
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Lausanne , Lausanne, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: di Summa
authors.affiliation: 4 Division of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fischmann
authors.affiliation: 5 Clinical Trial Unit, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Felten
authors.affiliation: 6 Institute for Surgical Research and Hospital Management, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scherberich
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .|2 Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital of Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Kalbermatten
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology; D000818:Animals; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism; D023421:Models, Animal; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000293:injuries*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005337:Fibrin