Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2019, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (9): 1617-1625.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.255997

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Novel electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone)/type I collagen nanofiber conduits for repair of peripheral nerve injury

Chun-Ming Yen 1, 2 , Chiung-Chyi Shen 1, 3, 4 , Yi-Chin Yang 1 , Bai-Shuan Liu 5 , Hsu-Tung Lee 1 , Meei-Ling Sheu 6, 7, 8 , Meng-Hsiun Tsai 9 , Wen-Yu Cheng 1, 3   

  1. 1 Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, China
    2 Ph.D. Program in Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, China
    3 Department of Physical Therapy, Hungkuang University, Taichung, Taiwan, China
    4 Basic Medical Education Center, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan, China
    5 Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan, China
    6 Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, China
    7 Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, China
    8 Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, China
    9 Department of Management Information System, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan, China
  • Online:2019-09-15 Published:2019-09-15
  • Contact: Wen-Yu Cheng, PhD, wycheng07@yahoo.com.tw.
  • Supported by:

    This study was supported by grants from the Taichung Veterans General Hospital and Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, No. TCVGH-CTUST1047701 (to CCS and BSL) and Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. TCVGH-1034907C (to CCS), Taiwan, China.

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Abstract:

Recent studies have shown the potential of artificially synthesized conduits in the repair of peripheral nerve injury. Natural biopolymers have received much attention because of their biocompatibility. To investigate the effects of novel electrospun absorbable poly(ε-caprolactone)/type I collagen nanofiber conduits (biopolymer nanofiber conduits) on the repair of peripheral nerve injury, we bridged 10-mm-long sciatic nerve defects with electrospun absorbable biopolymer nanofiber conduits, poly(ε-caprolactone) or silicone conduits in Sprague-Dawley rats. Rat neurologica1 function was weekly evaluated using sciatic function index within 8 weeks after repair. Eight weeks after repair, sciatic nerve myelin sheaths and axon morphology were observed by osmium tetroxide staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and transmission electron microscopy. S-100 (Schwann cell marker) and CD4 (inflammatory marker) immunoreactivities in sciatic nerve were detected by immunohistochemistry. In rats subjected to repair with electrospun absorbable biopolymer nanofiber conduits, no serious inflammatory reactions were observed in rat hind limbs, the morphology of myelin sheaths in the injured sciatic nerve was close to normal. CD4 immunoreactivity was obviously weaker in rats subjected to repair with electrospun absorbable biopolymer nanofiber conduits than in those subjected to repair with poly(ε-caprolactone) or silicone. Rats subjected to repair with electrospun absorbable biopolymer nanofiber conduits tended to have greater sciatic nerve function recovery than those receiving poly(ε-caprolactone) or silicone repair. These results suggest that electrospun absorbable poly(ε-caprolactone)/type I collagen nanofiber conduits have the potential of repairing sciatic nerve defects and exhibit good biocompatibility. All experimental procedures were approved by Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Taichung Veteran General Hospital, Taiwan, China (La-1031218) on October 2, 2014.

Key words: poly(ε-caprolactone), type I collagen, electrospinning, sciatic nerve, nerve conduit, immunohistostaining, walking track analysis, peripheral nerve injury