Thermosensitive heparin-poloxamer hydrogel encapsulated bFGF and NGF to treat spinal cord injury

J Cell Mol Med, 2020 · DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.15478 · Published: July 1, 2020

Spinal Cord Injury Pharmacology Regenerative Medicine

Simple Explanation

This study introduces a new method for treating spinal cord injuries using a special gel that releases growth factors. The gel, made of heparin-poloxamer, contains bFGF and NGF, which help nerve cells regenerate. The gel is designed to be injected into the injured spinal cord, where it slowly releases the growth factors over time. This helps to improve nerve cell survival, axon regeneration, and overall recovery. The researchers found that this gel-based treatment was more effective than simply injecting the growth factors directly. It also works by activating certain pathways in the cells that help them to recover.

Study Duration

28 days

Participants

Adult female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (220-250 g), n=10 per group

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
GFs-HP hydrogel promotes motor functional recovery after SCI, as shown by footprint analysis and BBB locomotion scores.
2
GFs-HP improves morphologic degeneration in SCI rats, protecting neuronal survival and ameliorating the pathological morphology in the injured spinal cord.
3
GFs-HP hydrogel enhances axonal regeneration and attenuates the reactive astrogliosis, preventing glial scar formation to guide axon growth.

Research Summary

This study developed a GFs-based delivery system (called GFs-HP) that consisted of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), nerve growth factor (NGF) and heparin-poloxamer (HP) hydrogel through self-assembly mode. After single injection of GFs-HP into the lesioned spinal cord, the sustained release of NGF and bFGF from HP could significantly improve neuronal survival, axon regeneration, reactive astrogliosis suppression and locomotor recovery, when compared with the treatment of free GFs or HP. These neuroprotective and neuroregenerative effects of GFs-HP were likely through activating the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signalling pathways.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Strategy

The GFs-HP hydrogel shows promise as a therapeutic strategy for SCI repair by promoting neuronal survival and axonal regeneration.

Drug Delivery

The thermosensitive and biocompatible properties of GFs-HP make it a suitable drug delivery system for localized and sustained release of growth factors in SCI.

Signaling Pathway Activation

The activation of PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways by GFs-HP suggests potential targets for future SCI therapies.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on rats, and the results may not be directly applicable to humans.
2
The long-term effects of GFs-HP treatment on SCI were not investigated.
3
The optimal dosage and administration route of GFs-HP for SCI treatment need further research.

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