title: Effect of hierarchically aligned fibrin hydrogel in regeneration of spinal cord injury demonstrated by tractography: A pilot study.
abstract: Some studies have reported that scaffold or cell-based transplantation may improve functional recovery following SCI, but no imaging information regarding regeneration has been provided to date. This study used tractography to show the regenerating process induced by a new biomaterial-aligned fibrin hydrogel (AFG). A total of eight canines subjected to SCI procedures were assigned to the control or the AFG group. AFG was implanted into the SCI lesion immediately after injury in 5 canines. A follow-up was performed at 12 weeks to evaluate the therapeutic effect including the hindlimb functional recovery, anisotropy and continuity of fibers on tractography. Using tractography, we found new fibers running across the SCI in three canines of the AFG group. Further histological examination confirmed limited glial scarring and regenerated nerve fibers in the lesions. Moreover, Repeated Measures Analysis revealed a significantly different change in fractional anisotropy (FA) between the two groups during the follow-up interval. An increase in FA during the post injury time interval was detected in the AFG group, indicating a beneficial effect of AFG in the rehabilitation of injured axons. Using tractography, AFG was suggested to be helpful in the restoration of fibers in SCI lesions, thus leading to promoted functional recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, BeiJing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Zhenxia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, BeiJing, 100084, China.
authors.forename: Shenglian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, BeiJing, 100029, China.|Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, BeiJing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, BeiJing, 100084, China.
authors.forename: Xiumei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, BeiJing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Feiyan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, BeiJing, 100029, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of orthopedics, PLA General Hospital, BeiJing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Jingming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of orthopedics, PLA General Hospital, BeiJing, 100853, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D004285:Dogs; D005337:Fibrin / Q000737:chemistry*; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D005337:Fibrin