Physical impacts of PLGA scaffolding on hMSCs: Recovery neurobiology insight for implant design to treat spinal cord injury.

Physical impacts of PLGA scaffolding on hMSCs: Recovery neurobiology insight for implant design to treat spinal cord injury. Exp Neurol. 2019 Jun 20;:112980 Authors: Han IB, Thakor DK, Ropper AE, Yu D, Wang L, Kabatas S, Zeng X, Kim SW, Zafonte RD, Teng YD Abstract Our earlier work generated a powerful platform technology of polymeric scaffolding of stem cells to investigate and treat the injured or diseased central nervous system. However, the reciprocal sequelae between biophysical properties of the polymer and responses of the stem cell have not been examined in situ in lesioned spinal cords. We postulated that implantable synthetic scaffolds, acting through physical features, might affect donor cell behavior and host tissue remodeling. To test this hypothesis, poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) in either low/soft or high/hard rigidity was fabricated for carrying adult human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal stem cells (hMSCs). The construct was transplanted into the epicenter of a rat model of acute T9-10 segmental hemisection to evaluate the effect of PLGA rigidity on the therapeutic potential and fate of hMSCs for neural repair. Compared to controls, only treatment with soft PLGA-scaffolded hMSCs significantly improved sensorimotor function via activation of recovery neurobiology mechanisms. The main benefits included inhibiting neuroinflammation and enhancing tissue protection. Also detected in the treated lesion region we...
Source: Experimental Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Exp Neurol Source Type: research