Sustained release of hydrogen sulfide from anisotropic ferrofluid hydrogel for the repair of spinal cord injury

Bioactive Materials, 2023 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.10.020 · Published: January 1, 2023

Spinal Cord Injury Regenerative Medicine Biomedical

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes neuronal death and axonal disruption, leading to inflammation that further damages neurons. The challenge is to guide regenerated axons and reduce inflammation. To address this, a ferrofluid hydrogel (FFH) was created using Ferric tetrasulfide (Fe3S4), carboxymethyl chitosan, and gold, orienting internal particles with a magnetic field for anisotropy. This FFH releases hydrogen sulfide (H2S) under acidic conditions to reduce inflammation and promote directional axonal regrowth, offering a potential treatment for SCI.

Study Duration

8 weeks

Participants

Adult female SD rats (6–8 weeks old, 200–220g)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Fe3S4 FFH significantly reduced inflammatory factors in LPS-induced BV2 cells in vitro, demonstrating its anti-inflammatory properties.
2
Anisotropic FFH promoted oriented and longer axon growth of induced neural stem cells (iNSC) in vitro, showcasing its ability to guide axonal regeneration.
3
In vivo experiments showed that FFH reduced activated microglia/macrophage and pro-inflammatory factors in SCI rats, promoting directional axonal regrowth and functional recovery.

Research Summary

This study developed an anisotropic Fe3S4 ferrofluid hydrogel (FFH) with sustained release of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to address the limitations of spinal cord injury (SCI) repair. The FFH demonstrated biocompatibility, anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, and the ability to promote directional axonal regeneration both in vitro and in vivo. The results suggest that Fe3S4 FFH is a promising candidate for SCI treatment due to its dual functionality of immunomodulation and anisotropic axonal guidance.

Practical Implications

SCI Treatment

Anisotropic Fe3S4 ferrofluid hydrogel shows promise as a treatment for spinal cord injuries by promoting axonal regeneration and reducing inflammation.

Neurodegenerative Diseases

The dual-function hydrogel approach could be adapted for other neurodegenerative diseases where axonal guidance and inflammation are key factors.

Drug Delivery Systems

The sustained-release H2S mechanism in FFH can be applied to develop targeted drug delivery systems for various therapeutic applications.

Study Limitations

1
Detailed mechanisms involved in cortico-spinal tract regeneration need further study.
2
More accurate measurements are required in future to assess the H2S in vivo.
3
The long-term effects and potential side effects of Fe3S4 FFH need to be evaluated in future studies.

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