Universidad de Murcia. Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología
Doi
Abstract
Objective. Attempts have been made to
improve nerve conduits in peripheral nerve
reconstruction. We investigated the potential therapeutic
effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal cells (ASCs) and
ghrelin (GHR), a neuropeptide with neuroprotective,
trophic, and developmental regulatory actions, on
peripheral nerve regeneration in a model of severe nerve
injury repaired with nerve conduits.
Material and methods. The right sciatic nerves of 24
male Wistar rats were 10-mm transected unilaterally and
repaired with Dl-lactic-ε-caprolactone conduits. Rats
were then treated locally with saline, ASCs, or GHR. At
12 weeks post-surgery, we assessed limb function by
measuring ankle stance angle and percentage muscle
mass reduction and evaluated the histopathology,
immunohistochemistry, ultrastructure, and morphometry
of myelinated fibers.
Main Results. Rats receiving GHR or ASCs showed
no significant increased functional recovery in ankle
stance angle (p=0.372) but a higher nerve area
(p=0.015), myelin area (p=0.046) and number of
myelinated fibers (p=0.012) in the middle and distal
segments of operated sciatic nerves in comparison to
saline-treated control animals.
Conclusion. These results suggest that utilization of
ghrelin or ASCs may improve nerve regeneration using
Dl-lactic-ε-caprolactone conduits
