Chen Ming, Tu Jie, Gao Yang, Li Na, Guan Tong, Qin Jianzhong, Qian Yuanyuan, Zhang Feng
Department of Textile Engineering, College of Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou 215001, China.
Department of Stomatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215000, China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 May;308(Pt 4):142639. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.142639. Epub 2025 Mar 28.
Peripheral nerve injuries requiring long-gap repair remain a critical challenge due to the limited efficacy of current nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) in providing directional axon guidance and sustained regenerative support. To address this, we developed a 3D biomimetic NGC utilizing tussah silk nanofibers (TSn) with oriented macrochannels (40.19 ± 7.24 μm and 35.68 ± 8.34 μm in width) and tunable mechanical properties (Young's modulus: 12.74 ± 3.95 kPa to 58.44 ± 3.95 kPa), mimicking native nerve architecture. In vitro studies showed that such biomimetic scaffolds support the adhesion, proliferation, and directional distribution of Schwann cells and PC12 cells along the oriented structure. Furthermore, we evaluated the regenerative potential of TSn-integrated NGCs featuring aligned macrochannels in a rat model of 10 mm sciatic nerve defects. The NGC achieved comparable efficacy to autologous nerve grafts in functional recovery (SFI: -51.76 ± 11.34 vs. -54.99 ± 4.76), attributable to the macrochannels' role in providing contact guidance and support for directional axonal elongation. This newly developed biomimetic TSn-based NGC is a promising candidate for treating peripheral nerve injuries.
由于目前的神经导向导管（NGC）在提供定向轴突导向和持续再生支持方面效果有限，需要进行长间隙修复的周围神经损伤仍然是一项严峻挑战。为了解决这一问题，我们利用柞蚕丝纳米纤维（TSn）开发了一种三维仿生NGC，其具有定向大通道（宽度为40.19±7.24μm和35.68±8.34μm）和可调机械性能（杨氏模量：12.74±3.95kPa至58.44±3.95kPa），模仿天然神经结构。体外研究表明，这种仿生支架支持雪旺细胞和PC12细胞沿定向结构的黏附、增殖和定向分布。此外，我们在10mm坐骨神经缺损的大鼠模型中评估了具有排列大通道的TSn集成NGC的再生潜力。该NGC在功能恢复方面达到了与自体神经移植相当的效果（SFI：-51.76±11.34对-54.99±4.76），这归因于大通道在为轴突定向伸长提供接触导向和支持方面的作用。这种新开发的基于TSn的仿生NGC是治疗周围神经损伤的有希望的候选者。
