Nerve-specific extracellular matrix hydrogel promotes functional regeneration following nerve gap injury

T Meder; T Prest; C Skillen; L Marchal; V T Yupanqui; L Soletti; P Gardner; J Cheetham; B N Brown

doi:10.1038/s41536-021-00174-8

Nerve-specific extracellular matrix hydrogel promotes functional regeneration following nerve gap injury

NPJ Regen Med. 2021 Oct 25;6(1):69. doi: 10.1038/s41536-021-00174-8.

Authors

T Meder^{1

2}, T Prest^{1

2}, C Skillen^{1

2}, L Marchal^{1

2}, V T Yupanqui², L Soletti³, P Gardner^{3

4}, J Cheetham^{3

5}, B N Brown^{6

7

8}

Affiliations

¹ McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
² Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
³ Renerva, LLC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁴ Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburg School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁵ Department of Clinical Sciences, Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
⁶ McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. brownb@upmc.edu.
⁷ Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. brownb@upmc.edu.
⁸ Renerva, LLC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. brownb@upmc.edu.

Abstract

Nerve transection requires surgical intervention to restore function. The standard of care involves coaptation when a tension-free repair is achievable, or interposition of a graft or conduit when a gap remains. Despite advances, nerve gap injury is associated with unsatisfactory recovery. This study investigates the use of a decellularized, porcine nerve-derived hydrogel filler (peripheral nerve matrix, PNM) for conduits in an 8 mm rat sciatic nerve gap model. The decellularized tissue maintained multiple nerve-specific matrix components and nerve growth factors. This decellularized tissue was used to formulate hydrogels, which were deployed into conduits for nerve gap repair. Nerve recovery was assessed up to 24 weeks post injury by gait analysis, electrophysiology, and axon counting. Deployment of PNM within conduits was shown to improve electrophysiologic response and axon counts compared with those of empty conduit controls. These results indicate that PNM has potential benefits when used as a filler for conduits in nerve gap injuries.

Abstract

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