Lycium barbarum polysaccharide encapsulated Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid Nanofibers: cost effective herbal medicine for potential application in peripheral nerve tissue engineering

Sci Rep. 2018 Jun 6;8(1):8669. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-26837-z.

Abstract

Nerve regeneration is a serious clinical challenge following peripheral nerve injury. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is the major component of wolfberry extract, which has been shown to be neuroprotective and promising in nerve recovery in many studies. Electrospun nanofibers, especially core-shell structured nanofibers being capable of serving as both drug delivery system and tissue engineering scaffolds, are well known to be suitable scaffolds for regeneration of peripheral nerve applications. In this study, LBP was incorporated into core-shell structured nanofibrous scaffolds via coaxial electrospinning. Alamar blue assays were performed to investigate the proliferation of both PC12 and Schwann cells cultured on the scaffolds. The neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells was evaluated by NF200 expression with immunostaining and morphology changes observed by SEM. The results indicated that the released LBP dramatically enhanced both proliferation and neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells induced by NGF. Additionally, the promotion of Schwann cells myelination and neurite outgrowth of DRG neurons were also observed on LBP loaded scaffolds by LSCM with immunostaining. In summary, LBP, as a drug with neuroprotection, encapsulated into electrospun nanofibers could be a potential candidate as tissue engineered scaffold for peripheral nerve regeneration.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry*
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / administration & dosage*
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology
  • Nanofibers / chemistry*
  • Nanofibers / ultrastructure
  • Nerve Regeneration / drug effects
  • Neurogenesis / drug effects*
  • Neuronal Outgrowth / drug effects
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neuroprotective Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Neuroprotective Agents / pharmacology
  • PC12 Cells
  • Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer / chemistry*
  • Rats
  • Schwann Cells / cytology
  • Schwann Cells / drug effects
  • Tissue Engineering
  • Tissue Scaffolds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • lycium barbarum polysaccharide
  • Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer