Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe central nervous system disorder that leads to long-term neurological dysfunction. Currently, there are no effective clinical treatments, making it imperative to develop novel therapeutic strategies that can simultaneously regulate immune responses and promote neural regeneration. Here, we designed and prepared an injectable self-healing multifunctional hydrogel composed of gelatin, quaternized chitosan, polydopamine, and curcumin. This hydrogel integrates immune microenvironment remodeling, spinal cord-matched mechanical properties, excellent biocompatibility, and sustained curcumin release for up to 14 days, effectively covering the critical acute-to-subacute phases of SCI repair. In vitro studies demonstrated that the hydrogel effectively scavenged reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induced macrophage polarization towards the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. In the rat model of SCI, treatment markedly alleviated oxidative stress and neuroinflammation during the acute phase, inhibited glial scar formation, promoted axonal and myelin regeneration, and ultimately improved motor function recovery. Collectively, this study presents a promising platform for SCI treatment and other central nervous system disorders by remodeling the immune microenvironment.
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Open Access
Research Article
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Open Access
Original Research
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To investigate the biocompatibility of electrospinning polycaprolactone (PCL) fiber scaffolds and coculture system, which consisted of neural stem cells (NSCs) and activated Schwann cells (ASCs).
ASCs were isolated from sciatic nerves, ligated for 7 days, in 4-week-old Wistar rats, and the NSCs were isolated from the hippocampus of E14.5 Wistar rat embryos. ASCs, NSCs and ASCs combined with NSCs were 3D cultured on the electrospinning PCL fiber scaffolds. Crystal violet staining was used to find the suitable density of ASCs for growth, and the proliferation of NSCs and ASCs were tested by Cell Counting Kit (CCK)-8 assay, and cell adhesion, differentiation of NSCs and myelin basic protein (MBP) expression of ASCs were observed by laser confocal microscopy. Distribution and morphology were assessed by scanning electron microscopy.
The average diameter of fibers in electrospinning PCL scaffolds was approximately 7.93±1.41 μm. ASCs could grow well at the density of 2×104/cm2, and a certain number of cells extended along the longitudinal axis of fibers, and the shape of the cells was spindle, which was consistent with crystal violet staining results. The CCK-8 experiment showed ASCs could proliferate gradually on the PCL scaffold within 7 days, as well as NSCs, and NSCs differentiated into astrocytes, neurons and oligodendrocytes on the PCL scaffold; PCL scaffolds could improve the differentiation rate of neurons. After NSCs and ASCs were cocultured on electrospinning PCL scaffolds, ASCs could express MBP and NSCs could differentiate into neurons, which distributed around those ASCs expressing MBP.
Electrospinning PCL fibrous scaffolds showed good biocompatibility, and the fibers had an inducing effect on the distribution of ASCs. NSCs and ASCs cultured on electrospinning PCL scaffolds could form 3D culture system, and NSCs could differentiate into neurons which distributed around the ASCs expressing MBP.
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