ABSTRACT

Purpose

It is compulsory to make a tension-free, end-to-end repair in transected injuries. However, when it comes to longer defects, placement of an autograft or nerve conduits is required. The present study was designed to assess regenerative potential of silymarin nanoparticles loaded into chitosan conduit on peripheral nerve regeneration in a transected sciatic nerve model in rat.

Methods

In NML group left sciatic nerve was exposed through a gluteal muscle incision and after careful hemostasis skin was closed. In TSC group left sciatic nerve was transected and stumps were fixed in adjacent muscle. In CTN group, 10-mm sciatic nerve defects were bridged using a chitosan. In CTN/NSLM group, 10-mm sciatic nerve defects were bridged using a chitosan conduit and 100 µL silymarin nanoparticles were administered into the conduit. The regenerated fibers were studied 4, 8, and 12 weeks after surgery. Assessment of nerve regeneration was based on behavioral, functional, biomechanical, histomorphometric, and immuohistochemical criteria.

Results

The behavioral, functional, electrophysiological, and biomechanical studies confirmed significant recovery of regenerated axons in CTN/NSLM group (P < 0.05). Quantitative morphometric analyses of regenerated fibers showed number and diameter of myelinated fibers in CTN/NSLM group were significantly higher than in CTN group (P < 0.05).

Discussion

This demonstrated potential of using chitosan-silymarin nanoparticles in peripheral nerve regeneration without limitations of donor-site morbidity associated with isolation of autograft. It is also cost saving and may have clinical implications for surgical management of patients after peripheral nerve transection.

中文翻译：

---

评估加载到壳聚糖导管中的水飞蓟素纳米颗粒对周围神经再生的再生潜力：大鼠坐骨神经横断模型

摘要

目的

必须对横断面损伤进行无张力的端到端修复。然而，当涉及到较长的缺陷时，需要放置自体移植物或神经导管。本研究旨在评估加载到壳聚糖导管中的水飞蓟素纳米颗粒对大鼠横断坐骨神经模型周围神经再生的再生潜力。

方法

NML组通过臀部肌肉切口暴露左侧坐骨神经，仔细止血后关闭皮肤。TSC组切断左侧坐骨神经，将残端固定于邻近肌肉。在CTN组中，使用壳聚糖桥接10-mm坐骨神经缺损。在 CTN/NSLM 组中，使用壳聚糖导管桥接 10 毫米的坐骨神经缺损，并将 100 µL 水飞蓟素纳米颗粒注入导管。在手术后 4、8 和 12 周对再生纤维进行了研究。神经再生的评估基于行为、功能、生物力学、组织形态计量学和免疫组织化学标准。

结果

行为、功能、电生理和生物力学研究证实，CTN/NSLM 组再生轴突显着恢复（P < 0.05）。再生纤维定量形态学分析显示，CTN/NSLM组有髓纤维的数量和直径均显着高于CTN组（P < 0.05）。

讨论

这证明了在外周神经再生中使用壳聚糖-水飞蓟素纳米颗粒的潜力，而不受与自体移植物分离相关的供体部位发病率的限制。它还可以节省成本，并且可能对周围神经横断后患者的手术管理具有临床意义。