Qiu Peng-Fei, Qiang Lei, Kong Weiqing, Wang Fang-Zhou, Wang Hong-Qin, Hou Ke-Xin, Liu Yihao, Li Cheng-Hui, Zheng Pengfei
State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210004, China.
Natl Sci Rev. 2024 Nov 22;12(2):nwae422. doi: 10.1093/nsr/nwae422. eCollection 2025 Feb.
The escalating prevalence of skeletal muscle disorders highlights the critical need for innovative treatments for severe injuries such as volumetric muscle loss. Traditional treatments, such as autologous transplants, are constrained by limited availability and current scaffolds often fail to meet complex clinical needs. This study introduces a new approach to volumetric muscle loss treatment by using a shape-memory polymer (SMP) based on block copolymers of perfluoropolyether and polycaprolactone diol. This SMP mimics the biomechanical properties of natural muscle, exhibiting a low elastic modulus (2-6 MPa), high tensile strength (72.67 ± 3.19 MPa), exceptional toughness (742.02 ± 23.98 MJ m) and superior biocompatibility, thereby enhancing skeletal muscle tissue integration and regeneration within 4 weeks. Moreover, the polymer's shape-memory behavior and ability to lift >5000 times its weight showcase significant potential in both severe muscle disorder treatment and prosthetic applications, surpassing existing scaffold technologies. This advancement marks a pivotal step in the development of artificial muscles for clinical use.
骨骼肌疾病患病率的不断上升凸显了针对严重损伤（如大面积肌肉损失）创新治疗方法的迫切需求。传统治疗方法，如自体移植，受到可用性有限的限制，并且当前的支架往往无法满足复杂的临床需求。本研究介绍了一种通过使用基于全氟聚醚和聚己内酯二醇嵌段共聚物的形状记忆聚合物（SMP）来治疗大面积肌肉损失的新方法。这种SMP模仿天然肌肉的生物力学特性，具有低弹性模量（2-6兆帕）、高拉伸强度（72.67±3.19兆帕）、出色的韧性（742.02±23.98兆焦/立方米）和卓越的生物相容性，从而在4周内增强骨骼肌组织的整合和再生。此外，该聚合物的形状记忆行为以及能够举起超过其自身重量5000倍的能力在严重肌肉疾病治疗和假肢应用中均展现出巨大潜力，超越了现有的支架技术。这一进展标志着临床用人造肌肉开发中的关键一步。
