Gelatin methacryloyl hydrogel scaffold loaded with activated Schwann cells attenuates apoptosis and promotes functional recovery following spinal cord injury

Yang Liu; Hao Yu; Peng Yu; Peng Peng; Chao Li; Zhenyang Xiang; Dexiang Ban

doi:10.3892/etm.2023.11843

Gelatin methacryloyl hydrogel scaffold loaded with activated Schwann cells attenuates apoptosis and promotes functional recovery following spinal cord injury

Exp Ther Med. 2023 Feb 15;25(4):144. doi: 10.3892/etm.2023.11843. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Authors

Yang Liu^{1

2}, Hao Yu^{1

2}, Peng Yu^{1

2}, Peng Peng^{1

2}, Chao Li^{1

2}, Zhenyang Xiang^{1

2}, Dexiang Ban^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopedics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Heping, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China.
² International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Spinal Cord Injury, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Injury, Department of Orthopedics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Heping, Tianjin 300052, P.R. China.

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a refractory disease of the central nervous system with a high disability and incidence rate. In recent years, bioactive material combined with cell transplantation has been considered an effective method for the treatment of SCI. The present study encapsulated activated Schwann cells (ASCs) in a 3D gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel in order to investigate its therapeutic effects on SCI. ASCs were isolated from previously ligated rat sciatic nerves. Scanning electron microscopy and live/dead staining were used to evaluate the biocompatibility of hydrogels with the ASCs. The scaffold was transplanted into the spinal cord of rats in the hemisection model. Behavioral tests and hematoxylin and eosin staining were employed to assess the locomotion recovery and lesion areas before and after treatment. Cell apoptosis was evaluated using TUNEL staining and immunochemistry, and apoptosis-related protein expression was detected using western blot analysis. The ASCs exhibited a favorable survival and proliferative ability in the 3D GelMA hydrogel. The scaffold transplantation significantly reduced the cavities and improved functional recovery. Moreover, the GelMA/ASCs implants significantly inhibited cell apoptosis following SCI and this effect may be mediated via the p38 MAPK pathway. Overall, these findings indicated that ASCs combined with the 3D GelMA hydrogel may be a promising therapeutic strategy for SCI.

Keywords: Schwann cells; biomaterials; cell apoptosis; function recovery; gelatin methacryloyl hydrogel; scaffold; spinal cord injury.

Grants and funding

Funding: The present study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 81972061, 81871766 and 81902216).