@article{4249157d370d4ab0b47759f6da40b932,
title = "Decellularized peripheral nerve supports Schwann cell transplants and axon growth following spinal cord injury",
abstract = "Schwann cell (SC) transplantation has been comprehensively studied as a strategy for spinal cord injury (SCI) repair. SCs are neuroprotective and promote axon regeneration and myelination. Nonetheless, substantial SC death occurs post-implantation, which limits therapeutic efficacy. The use of extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived matrices, such as Matrigel, supports transplanted SC survival and axon growth, resulting in improved motor function. Because appropriate matrices are needed for clinical translation, we test here the use of an acellular injectable peripheral nerve (iPN) matrix. Implantation of SCs in iPN into a contusion lesion did not alter immune cell infiltration compared to injury only controls. iPN implants were larger and contained twice as many SC-myelinated axons as Matrigel grafts. SC/iPN animals performed as well as the SC/Matrigel group in the BBB locomotor test, and made fewer errors on the grid walk at 4 weeks, equalizing at 8 weeks. The fact that this clinically relevant iPN matrix is immunologically tolerated and supports SC survival and axon growth within the graft offers a highly translational possibility for improving efficacy of SC treatment after SCI. To our knowledge, it is the first time that an injectable PN matrix is being evaluated to improve the efficacy of SC transplantation in SCI repair.",
keywords = "Axon growth, Decellularization, Injectable peripheral nerve, Schwann cells, Spinal cord injury, Transplantation",
author = "Cerqueira, {Susana R.} and Lee, {Yee Shuan} and Cornelison, {Robert C.} and Mertz, {Michaela W.} and Wachs, {Rebecca A.} and Schmidt, {Christine E.} and Bunge, {Mary Bartlett}",
note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [ NIH NS 09923 (MBB) ], The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis (MPCP) at the University of Miami , The Buoniconti Fund , the Craig Neilsen Foundation [ 222456 (CES) ] and Conquer Paralysis Now (SRC) . The authors would like to acknowledge: Yelena Pressman for preparing SCs for transplantation; the MPCP Virus Core for the virus production; the Animal Facility Core at the MPCP for assisting in animal care; Margaret Bates and Vania Almeida for TEM imaging and sample processing; Dr. Melissa Carballosa-Gautam for help in confocal imaging; Jason Wagner for cell counting; and Drs. Oliver Umland and Roberta Brambilla for assistance with flow cytometry. SRC would also like to acknowledge the Spinal Cord Injury Training Program at Ohio State University. Funding Information: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [NIH NS 09923 (MBB)], The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis (MPCP) at the University of Miami, The Buoniconti Fund, the Craig Neilsen Foundation [222456 (CES)] and Conquer Paralysis Now (SRC). The authors would like to acknowledge: Yelena Pressman for preparing SCs for transplantation; the MPCP Virus Core for the virus production; the Animal Facility Core at the MPCP for assisting in animal care; Margaret Bates and Vania Almeida for TEM imaging and sample processing; Dr. Melissa Carballosa-Gautam for help in confocal imaging; Jason Wagner for cell counting; and Drs. Oliver Umland and Roberta Brambilla for assistance with flow cytometry. SRC would also like to acknowledge the Spinal Cord Injury Training Program at Ohio State University.",
year = "2018",
month = sep,
doi = "10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.05.049",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "177",
pages = "176--185",
journal = "Biomaterials",
issn = "0142-9612",
publisher = "Elsevier BV",
}