Artificial nerves containing allogenic basal lamellae scaffold and bone marrow derived stem cells

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10951
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: KAKINOKI Ryosuke 近畿大学, 医学部, 教授 (20314198)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 赤木 將男 近畿大学, 医学部, 教授 (00273441)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 人工神経 / 末梢神経再生 / 同種神経基底膜 / 骨髄間葉系幹細胞 / 血流

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Autogenous nerve grafting is a gold standard for repair of peripheral nerve deficits. However, that is associated with limit of nerve source and followed by neurological deficits in the area innervated by the donor nerves. In the current study, a 20 mm gap created in a rat sciatic nerve model was bridged using the vascularized polyglycolic acid (PGA) tube containing the decellularized allogenic basal lamellae (DABL) with implantation of isogenic cultured bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and 20-mm long autogenous nerve graft (Auto group). The DABL was not involved by immunological rejection. Some transplanted BMSCs were differentiated into Schwann cell-like cells. Nerve regeneration in our PGA tube was about 70-80% of that in the Auto group at 24 weeks. Our PGA artificial nerve is applicable to clinical use in near future.

Free Research Field

整形外科、末梢神経外科、末梢神経再生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回実験で用いた外套管は，柔軟性があり生体分解性があるため，神経再生後外套管を除去する必要がなく，また屈伸する関節部にも移植できる。
以前の実験(Kaizawa Y. Cell Transplant 2017)では，外套管内に血管茎を挿入していただが、本実験の外套管の毛細血管透過性のため、血管は外套管の外を沿わすだけで再生神経に良好な血流を付与する事がわかった。また血流の良い場所に移植するのであれば，外套管の周囲に血管茎を沿わす必要が無い。
脱細胞化同種神経は，ほぼ完全にcell debrisを取り除けて，抗原性を示さず、また細胞外マトリックスを保持でき、移植したBMSCを誘導管内に保持していた。