Combinatorial Tissue Engineering Partially Restores Function after Spinal Cord Injury

J Tissue Eng Regen Med, 2019 · DOI: 10.1002/term.2840 · Published: May 1, 2019

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine Biomedical

Simple Explanation

This study explores a novel strategy for spinal cord injury treatment using a combination of biomaterials and a drug called rapamycin. The approach involves implanting a biodegradable hydrogel scaffold loaded with Schwann cells and rapamycin-releasing microspheres into the damaged spinal cord. The goal is to create a microenvironment that supports nerve regeneration while reducing the body's rejection response to the implanted materials. The rapamycin helps to minimize scarring and promote healthy blood vessel formation in the regenerating tissue. The study found that this combined approach led to improved functional recovery in rats with spinal cord injuries, suggesting it could be a promising strategy for treating spinal cord injuries in humans.

Study Duration

6 weeks

Participants

83 adult female Fischer rats

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Rapamycin, delivered locally from implanted scaffolds, reduces fibrosis and promotes functional neurologic recovery after spinal cord injury.
2
The combination of Schwann cells and rapamycin influences vascularization, vessel architecture, and function in the regenerating spinal cord tissue.
3
Rapamycin treatment results in increased axonal regeneration across implanted scaffolds, suggesting a potential mechanism for functional recovery.

Research Summary

This study investigates a combinatorial tissue engineering approach for spinal cord injury repair, utilizing a biodegradable hydrogel scaffold, Schwann cells, and rapamycin-releasing microspheres. The results demonstrate that sustained local release of rapamycin from the implanted scaffolds reduces fibrosis, promotes functional recovery, and enhances vascularization and axonal regeneration in rats with spinal cord injuries. The findings suggest that this combinatorial strategy holds promise for improving outcomes in spinal cord injury treatment by creating a regenerative microenvironment and modulating the body's response to the implanted materials.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Strategy

The study suggests that combining biomaterial scaffolds, cell therapy (Schwann cells), and drug delivery (rapamycin) can be a potential therapeutic strategy for spinal cord injury.

Vascular Normalization

The research highlights the importance of vascular normalization in promoting axonal regeneration and functional recovery after SCI, suggesting that targeting vascular abnormalities could be a key therapeutic goal.

Combinatorial Approach

The study supports the concept of combinatorial therapies in regenerative medicine, where multiple regenerative strategies are combined to achieve better outcomes than single interventions.

Study Limitations

1
The study omitted a Matrigel+Rapamycin microspheres only control group.
2
The effect of rapamycin on astrocytes, including on astrocyte infiltration into the scaffold and on astroglial scar formation, was not assessed.
3
Recovery of SSEPs was not observed despite locomotor improvements.

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