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Effects of oxygen generating scaffolds on cell survival and functional recovery following acute spinal cord injury in rats

  • Tissue Engineering Constructs and Cell Substrates
  • Original Research
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Abstract

Persistent local oxygen delivery is crucial to create a microenvironment for cell survival and nerve regeneration in acute spinal cord injury (SCI). This study aimed to fabricate calcium peroxide-based microspheres incorporated into a 3-D construct scaffold as a novel oxygen release therapy for SCI. The scaffolds were able to generate oxygen over the course of 21 days when incubated under hypoxic conditions. In vitro, GFP-labeled bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were planted into the scaffolds. We observed that scaffolds could enhance MSC survival under hypoxic conditions for more than 21 days. Oxygen generating scaffolds were transplanted into spinal cord injury sites of rats in vivo. Twelve weeks following transplantation, cavity areas in the injury/graft site were significantly reduced due to tissue regeneration. Additionally, the oxygen generating scaffolds improved revascularization as observed through vWF immunostaining. A striking feature was the occurrence of nerve fiber regeneration in the lesion sites, which eventually led to significant locomotion recovery. The present results indicate that the oxygen generating scaffolds have the property of sustained local oxygen release, thus facilitating regeneration in injured spinal cords.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81672140, 81974329), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2017A030313111). Wenzhou Municipal Science and Technology Project of China (No. Y20170391). The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Liangle Liu, Junming Wan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Spinal Surgery, Orthopaedic Medical Center,Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China

    Liangle Liu, Chun Liu & Lixin Zhu

  2. Rui’an People’s Hospital & the third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325200, China

    Liangle Liu, Minghai Dai, Xiuzhi Ye & Chengxuan Tang

  3. Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hanzhou, 310002, China

    Junming Wan

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  1. Liangle Liu
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Liu, L., Wan, J., Dai, M. et al. Effects of oxygen generating scaffolds on cell survival and functional recovery following acute spinal cord injury in rats. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 31, 115 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-020-06453-y

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