Protective effect of tissue-engineered artificial nerve on peripheral target organ and spinal cord neurons after rat sciatic nerve defect / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the protective effect of olfactory ensheathing cell(OEC)Schwann cell(SC)-extracellular matrix(ECM)-poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide acid)(PLGA)bridging complex on peripheral target organ and spinal cord neurons after rat sciatic nerve defect.Methods A 15 mm right sciatic nerve defect model was established in SD rats and repaired with OEC-SC-ECM-PLGA bridging complex that contained OEC,SC,ECM and self-made PLGA conduit.At the same time,the study set OEC-ECM-PLGA group,SC-ECM-PLGA group,ECM-PLGA group,PLGA group and nerve autograft control group.At 1,3,6 and 9 weeks after surgery,the gastrocnemius muscle water weight test and motor end-plate test were performed.At the 9th week after surgery,CM-DiI and horseradish peroxidase(HRP)retrograde tracing were performed.Results The gastrocnemius muscle water weight and number of motor end-plate were decreased in all groups after surgery but gradually increased after three weeks except for ECM-PLGA group and PLGA group.At the 9th week,OEC-SC-ECM-PLGA group showed no statistical differences with nerve autograft group in aspects of gastrocnemius muscle water weight,number of motor end-plate and length of motor end-plate major axis(P ＞ 0.05).At the 9th week,CM-DiI and HRP retrograde tracing found that the number of positive neurons in spinal cord in OEC-SC-ECM-PLGA group showed no statistical differences compared with nerve autograft group(P ＞0.05).Conclusions OEC-SC-ECM-PLGA bridging complex can partially protect peripheral target organ and spinal cord neurons after rat sciatic nerve defect.