Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an incurable condition, in which a cascade of cellular and molecular events triggered by inflammation and excitotoxicity impairs endogenous regeneration, namely remyelination and axonal outgrowth. We designed a treatment solution based on an implantable biomaterial (electrospun poly (l-lactic acid) [PLLA]) loaded with ibuprofen and triiodothyronine (T3) to counteract inflammation, thus improving endogenous regeneration. In vivo efficacy was tested by implanting the drug-loaded PLLA in the rat model of T8 contusion SCI. We observed the expected recovery of locomotion beginning on day 7. In PLLA-implanted rats (i.e., controls), the recovery stabilized at 21 days post-lesion (DPL), after which no further improvement was observed. On the contrary, in PLLA + ibuprofen (Ibu) + T3 (PLLA-Ibu-T3) rats a further recovery and a significant treatment effect were observed, also confirmed by the gait analysis on 49 DPL. Glutamate release at 24 h and 8 DPL was reduced in PLLA-Ibu-T3-compared to PLLA-implanted rats, such as the estimated lesion volume at 60 DPL. The myelin-and 200-neurofilament-positive area fraction was higher in PLLA-Ibu-T3-implanted rats, where the percentage of astrocytes was significantly reduced. The implant of a PLLA electrospun scaffold loaded with Ibu and T3 significantly improves the endogenous regeneration, leading to an improvement of functional locomotion outcome in the SCI.
Bighinati A., Focarete M.L., Gualandi C., Pannella M., Giuliani A., Beggiato S., et al. (2020). Improved Functional Recovery in Rat Spinal Cord Injury Induced by a Drug Combination Administered with an Implantable Polymeric Delivery System. JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA, 37(15), 1708-1719 [10.1089/neu.2019.6949].
Improved Functional Recovery in Rat Spinal Cord Injury Induced by a Drug Combination Administered with an Implantable Polymeric Delivery System
Bighinati A.;Focarete M. L.;Gualandi C.;Pannella M.;Giuliani A.;Lorenzini L.;Giardino L.;Calza' L.
2020
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an incurable condition, in which a cascade of cellular and molecular events triggered by inflammation and excitotoxicity impairs endogenous regeneration, namely remyelination and axonal outgrowth. We designed a treatment solution based on an implantable biomaterial (electrospun poly (l-lactic acid) [PLLA]) loaded with ibuprofen and triiodothyronine (T3) to counteract inflammation, thus improving endogenous regeneration. In vivo efficacy was tested by implanting the drug-loaded PLLA in the rat model of T8 contusion SCI. We observed the expected recovery of locomotion beginning on day 7. In PLLA-implanted rats (i.e., controls), the recovery stabilized at 21 days post-lesion (DPL), after which no further improvement was observed. On the contrary, in PLLA + ibuprofen (Ibu) + T3 (PLLA-Ibu-T3) rats a further recovery and a significant treatment effect were observed, also confirmed by the gait analysis on 49 DPL. Glutamate release at 24 h and 8 DPL was reduced in PLLA-Ibu-T3-compared to PLLA-implanted rats, such as the estimated lesion volume at 60 DPL. The myelin-and 200-neurofilament-positive area fraction was higher in PLLA-Ibu-T3-implanted rats, where the percentage of astrocytes was significantly reduced. The implant of a PLLA electrospun scaffold loaded with Ibu and T3 significantly improves the endogenous regeneration, leading to an improvement of functional locomotion outcome in the SCI.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
