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Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes tissue destruction and neuronal apoptosis, which impede neural function recovery. Therefore, promoting neuronal regeneration and neural pathway reconstruction is crucial. In this study, a novel and facile decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) scaffold seeded with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) (dECM scaffolds/ADSCs) was reported. The dECM scaffold maintained the original three-dimensional network structure of spinal cord tissue and contained various small pores. In vitro studies demonstrated that dECM scaffolds exhibited excellent biocompatibility, facilitated efficient adhesion and proliferation of ADSCs, and promoted the secretion of neurotrophin-3 and neuronal differentiation in the microenvironment after SCI. In vivo studies further showed that dECM scaffolds/ADSCs could alleviate inflammatory and apoptotic reactions, providing a favorable microenvironment for promoting endogenous nerve regeneration rather than glial scars formation, ultimately achieving recovery of hind limb function in rats. Notably, ICG-001 effectively reversed the therapeutic effect of dECM scaffolds/ADSCs, proving that dECM scaffolds/ADSCs promoted functional recovery after SCI by regulating the Wnt/ β -catenin signaling pathway. Overall, dECM scaffolds/ADSCs can simulate the physiological characteristics of the spinal cord and exert neurorestorative potential, providing a new therapeutic strategy for SCI., (© 2023 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

The completed skeletal muscle regeneration resulted from severe injury and muscle-related disease is still a challenge. Here, we developed an injectable muscle-adhesive antioxidant conductive bioactive photothermo-responsive nanomatrix for regulating the myogenic differentiation and promoting the skeletal muscle regeneration in vivo . The multifunctional nanomatrix was composed of polypyrrole@polydopamine (PPy@PDA, 342 ± 5.6 nm) nanoparticles-crosslinked Pluronic F-127 (F127)-polycitrate matrix (FPCP). The FPCP nanomatrix demonstrated inherent multifunctional properties including excellent photothermo-responsive and shear-thinning behavior, muscle-adhesive feature, injectable ability, electronic conductivity (0.48 ± 0.03 S/m) and antioxidant activity and photothermal function. The FPCP nanomatrix displayed better photothermal performance with near-infrared irradiation, which could provide the photo-controlled release of protein (91% ± 2.6% of BSA was released after irradiated 3 times). Additionally, FPCP nanomatrix could significantly enhance the cell proliferation and myogenic differentiation of mouse myoblast cells (C2C12) by promoting the expressions of myogenic genes (MyoD and MyoG) and myosin heavy chain (MHC) protein with negligible cytotoxicity. Based on the multifunctional properties, FPCP nanomatrix efficiently promoted the full-thickness skeletal muscle repair and regeneration in vivo , through stimulating the angiogenesis and myotube formation. This study firstly indicated the vital role of multifunctional PPy@PDA nanoparticles in regulating myogenic differentiation and skeletal muscle regeneration. This work also suggests that rational design of bioactive matrix with multifunctional feature would greatly enhance the development of regenerative medicine., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2020 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.)

Rolipram, a phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, can activate the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) pathway to facilitate functional recovery following ischemic stroke. However, to date, the effects of rolipram on angiogenesis and cerebral ischemia-induced neuronal apoptosis are yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, the aim was to reveal the effect of rolipram on the angiogenesis and neuronal apoptosis following brain cerebral ischemia. Rat models of ischemic stroke were established following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and rolipram was administered for three, seven and 14 days. The results were examined using behavioral tests, triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, immunostaining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) to evaluate the effects of rolipram therapy on functional outcome, angiogenesis and apoptosis. Western blot analysis was used to show the phosphorylated- (p-)CREB protein level in the ischemic hemisphere. The rolipram treatment group exhibited a marked reduction in infarct size and modified neurological severity score compared with the vehicle group, and rolipram treatment significantly promoted the microvessel density in the ischemic boundary region and increased p-CREB protein levels in the ischemic hemisphere. Furthermore, a significant reduction in the number of TUNEL-positive cells was observed in the rolipram group compared with the vehicle group. These findings suggest that rolipram has the ability to attenuate cerebral ischemic injury, stimulate angiogenesis and reduce neuronal apoptosis though the cAMP/CREB pathway.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) may lead to a devastating and permanent loss of neurological function, which may place a great economic burden on the family of the patient and society. Methods for reducing the death of neuronal cells, inhibiting immune and inflammatory reactions, and promoting the growth of axons in order to build up synapses with the target cells are the focus of current research. Target cells are located in the damaged spinal cord which create a connect with the scaffold. As tissue engineering technology is developed for use in a variety of different areas, particularly the biomedical field, a clear understanding of the mechanisms of tissue engineering is important. This review establishes how this technology may be used in basic experiments with regard to SCI and considers its potential future clinical use.