CEMMPRE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Rua Sílvio Lima-Pólo II, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal.
Veterinary Clinics Department, Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, no. 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal and Animal Science Study Centre (CECA), University of Porto Agroenvironment, Technologies and Sciences Institute (ICETA), Rua D. Manuel II, Apartado 55142, 4051-401 Porto, Portugal.
Biomater Sci. 2020 Feb 7;8(3):798-811. doi: 10.1039/c9bm00901a. Epub 2020 Jan 6.
In this work, dextran-based nerve tube-guides were prepared, characterized and used in a standardized animal model of neurotmesis injury. Non-porous and porous transparent tube-guides were obtained by photocrosslinking of two co-macromonomers based on dextran and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). Swelling capacity of the tube-guides ranged from 40-60% with no visible constriction of their inner diameter. In vitro hydrolytic degradation tests showed that the tube-guides maintained their structural integrity up to 6 months. The in vivo performance of the tube-guides was evaluated by entubulation of the rat sciatic nerve after a neurotmesis injury, with a 10 mm-gap between the nerve stumps. The results showed that the tube-guides were able to promote the regeneration of the nerve in a similar manner to what was observed with conventional techniques (nerve graft and end-to-end suture). Stereological analysis proved that nerve regeneration occurred, and both tube-guides presented fibre diameter and g-ratio closer to healthy sciatic nerves. The histomorphometric analysis of Tibialis anterior (TA) skeletal muscle showed decreased neurogenic atrophy in the porous tube-guides treated group, presenting measurements that are similar to the uninjured control.
在这项工作中，制备了基于葡聚糖的神经导管，并对其进行了表征，然后将其用于神经横断损伤的标准化动物模型中。通过基于葡聚糖和聚（ε-己内酯）（PCL）的两种共聚大分子单体的光交联，获得了非多孔和多孔透明的管导。管导的溶胀能力在 40-60%之间，其内径没有明显收缩。体外水解降解试验表明，管导在 6 个月内保持其结构完整性。通过在大鼠坐骨神经横断损伤后进行管内套入（神经残端之间有 10mm 的间隙），评估了管导的体内性能。结果表明，管导能够以类似于常规技术（神经移植和端端缝合）观察到的方式促进神经再生。体视学分析证明神经发生了再生，两种管导的纤维直径和 g 比值都更接近健康的坐骨神经。比目鱼肌（TA）骨骼肌的组织形态计量学分析表明，多孔管导治疗组的神经源性萎缩减少，其测量值与未受伤的对照组相似。
