Abstract
Axon regeneration and functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury remains a clinical challenge. Injury leads to axonal disintegration after which Schwann cells (SCs) and macrophages re-engage in the process of regeneration. At present, biomaterials are regarded as the most promising way to repair peripheral nerve damage. As a natural material, keratin has a wide range of sources and has good biocompatibility and biodegradability. Here, a keratin was extracted from human hair by reducing method and a keratin sponge with porous structure was obtained by further processing. The results suggested that keratin can promote cell adhesion, proliferation, migration as well as the secretion of neurotrophic factors by SCs and the regulation of the expression of macrophage inflammatory cytokines in vitro. We report for the first time that human hair keratin can promote the extension of axon in DRG neurons. The motor deficits caused by a sciatic nerve crush injury were alleviated by keratin sponge dressing in vivo. Thus, keratin has been identified as a valuable biomaterial that can enhance peripheral nerve regeneration.
Highlights
Peripheral nerve injury has been rising every year and caused a heavy economic burden on patients and society [1, 2]
Most of the keratin extracted by reduction method is α-keratin, which is mainly composed of microfibril keratins with a molecular weight of between 40 and60 kDa (Fig. 1b)
RSC96 cells only adhered to the right side of pre-coated low adhesion plate (Fig. 2a), suggesting that keratin has a good cell compatibility
Summary
Peripheral nerve injury has been rising every year and caused a heavy economic burden on patients and society [1, 2]. Repair after injury is a complex and long process during which denervated Schwann cells (SCs) dedifferentiate into a more active phenotype, migrate to the damage site to form a Bungner belt, and secrete neurotrophic factors to nourish axons, leading them to extend along the Bungner belt [3,4,5]. Macrophages participate in postinjury repair by clearing myelin fragments and expressing various
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