Stimulation of neurite outgrowth using autologous NGF bound at the surface of a fibrous substrate

Abstract

Peripheral nerve injury still remains a major clinical challenge, since the available solutions

lead to dysfunctional nerve regeneration. Even though autologous nerve grafts are the gold standard,

tissue engineered nerve guidance grafts are valid alternatives. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is the

most potent neurotrophic factor. The development of a nerve guidance graft able to locally potentiate

the interaction between injured neurons and autologous NGF would be a safer and more effective

alternative to grafts that just release NGF. Herein, a biofunctional electrospun fibrous mesh (eFM)

was developed through the selective retrieval of NGF from rat blood plasma. The neurite outgrowth

induced by the eFM-NGF systems was assessed by culturing rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells

for 7 days, without medium supplementation. The biological results showed that this NGF delivery

system stimulates neuronal differentiation, enhancing the neurite growth more than the control

condition.