In vivo effects of adipose-derived stem cells in inducing neuronal regeneration in Sprague-Dawley rats undergoing nerve defect bridged with polycaprolactone nanotubes

There have been many attempts for regeneration of peripheral nerve injury. In this study, we examined the in vivo effects of non-differentiated and neuronal differentiated adiposederived stem cells (ADSCs) in inducing the neuronal regeneration in the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats undergoing nerve defect bridged with the PCL nanotubes. Then, we performed immunohistochemical and histopathologic examinations, as well as the electromyography, in three groups: The control group (14 sciatic nerves transplanted with the PCL nanotube scaffold), the experimental group I (14 sciatic nerves with the non-differentiated ADSCs at a density of 7 × 10⁵ cells/0.1 mL) and the experimental group II (14 sciatic nerves with the neuronal differentiated ADSCs at 7 × 10⁵ cells/0.1 mL). Six weeks postoperatively, the degree of the neuronal induction and that of immunoreactivity to nestin, MAP-2 and GFAP was significantly higher in the experimental group I and II as compared with the control group. In addition, the nerve conduction velocity (NCV) was significantly higher in the experimental group I and II as compared with the control group (P = 0.021 and P = 0.020, respectively). On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the NCV between the two experimental groups (P > 0.05). Thus, our results will contribute to treating patients with peripheral nerve defects using PCL nanotubes with ADSCs.