Clarification of the effect of silicon compound on nerve regeenration and preparation of ner nerve conduit

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19KK0381
• Research Category: Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (A))
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90120:Biomaterials-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Shirosaki Yuki 九州工業大学, 大学院工学研究院, 准教授 (40533956)
• Project Period (FY): 2020 – 2023
• Keywords: 神経再生 / ケイ素化合物 / シュワン細 / マウス後根神経節 / モーター細胞 / ヒドロゲル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Silicon is an essential trace element in the human body and it exists in connective tissue as aqueous orthosilicic acids. We prepared solid porous chitosan-siloxane hybrids with different silane coupling reagents or silicon alkoxide. The structures of the degradation products with Si from the hybrids were examined by the time of flight mass spectrometry, and the biological assessments were conducted by osteoblastic cells, neuron cells, and ex-vivo explants of dorsal root ganglia. The structure of the degradation products with Si depended on the starting composition. Results showed that glial cell proliferation was lower in the medium with the higher molecular weight degradation products with Si. Moreover, motor cell line differentiation and neurite outgrowth of dorsal root ganglion explants were improved with the lower molecular weight degradation products with Si. The results obtained could be useful to design a new nerve regeneration scaffold including silicon components.

Free Research Field

生体材料学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

骨芽細胞の活性・分化や骨組織の再生に対するケイ素濃度の影響のみを議論している限り，シロキサン構造を有する足場材料に関して新しい材料設計指針を打ち立てることはできない。本研究成果から，シロキサン結合を含む複合体から溶出したケイ素化合物の構造を飛行時間型質量分析法によって，予測できることを示唆した。この構造の違いは，骨芽細胞の増殖・活性に大きく寄与した。一方，神経細胞の場合には，骨芽細胞ほど，構造の違いに対する細胞応答性は観察されなかった。このようなケイ素化合物の構造状態と細胞応答性の結果は，新しい材料設計指針および安全性の指標となり得る。