Autologous nerve grafting is the current procedure used for repairing facial nerve gaps. As an alternative to this method, tissue engineering cell-based therapy using induced pluripotent stem cells, Schwann cells and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells has been proposed. However, these cells have major problems, including tumorigenesis in induced pluripotent stem cells and invasiveness and limited tissue associated with harvesting for the other cells. Here, we investigated the therapeutic potential of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), which can be harvested easily and repeatedly by a minimally invasive liposuction procedure. The ASCs had characteristics of mesenchymal tissue lineages and could differentiate into Schwann-like cells that were relatively simple to isolate and expand in culture. In an in vivo study, a silicone conduit containing undifferentiated ASCs, differentiated ASCs or Schwann cells were transplanted, embedded in a collagen gel and the efficacy of repair of a 7 mm-gap in the rat facial nerve examined. Morphometric quantification analysis of regenerated facial nerves after a regeneration period of 13 weeks showed that undifferentiated ASCs, differentiated ASCs, and Schwann cells had similar potential for nerve regeneration. Furthermore, the functional recovery of facial nerve regeneration using a rat facial palsy scoring system in the three groups was close to that in autologous nerve graft positive controls. These findings suggest that undifferentiated and differentiated ASCs may both have therapeutic potential in facial nerve regeneration as a source of Schwann cells in cell-based therapy performed as an alternative to autologous nerve grafts. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In reconstructive surgery, tissues are routinely transferred to repair a defect caused by trauma, cancer, chronic diseases, or congenital malformations; surgical transfer intrinsically impairs metabolic supply to tissues placing a risk of ischemia-related complications such as necrosis, impaired healing, or infection. Pre-surgical induction of angiogenesis in tissues (preconditioning) can limit postsurgical ischemic complications and improve outcomes, but very few preconditioning strategies have successfully been translated to clinical practice due to the invasiveness of most proposed approaches, their suboptimal effects, and their challenging regulatory approval. We optimized a method that adopts noninvasive external suction to precondition tissues through the induction of hypoxia-mediated angiogenesis. Using a sequential approach in a rodent model, we determined the parameters of application (frequency, suction levels, duration, and interfaces) that fine-tune the balance of enhanced angiogenesis, attenuation of hypoxic tissue damage, and length of treatment. The optimized repeated short-intermittent applications of intermediate suction induced a 1.7-fold increase in tissue vascular density after only 5 days of treatment (p < 0.05); foam interfaces showed the same effectiveness and caused less complications. In a second separate experiment, our model showed that the optimized technique significantly improves survival of transferred tissues. Here we demonstrate that noninvasive external suction can successfully, safely, and promptly enhance vascularity of soft tissues: these translational principles can help design effective preconditioning strategies, transform best clinical practice in surgery, and improve patient outcomes.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays a crucial role in the regeneration of peripheral nerve defects by affecting nerve cells, Schwann cells and fibroblasts, and by promoting axon outgrowth from the proximal nerve stump. However, the use of exogenous bFGF for in vivo regeneration of the peripheral nerves is limited by its short in vivo half-life. In this study, a drug delivery system for bFGF was developed that uses acidic gelatin hydrogel, which sustainably released bFGF in vivo over several weeks; its ability to promote peripheral nerve regeneration was also examined. In 8-week-old Lewis rats, 7-mm gaps were made in the buccal branch of the left facial nerve. Acidic gelatin hydrogel microspheres (10 µl) with or without bFGF (50 µg) were infused into a 10 mm silicone tube using a micropipette, and the silicone tube was then implanted into the gap. A 1-mm long nerve stump was inserted into each end of the tube. Histological examination at 7 weeks after implantation revealed (1) a significantly increased rate of nerve regeneration, (2) inducement of a number of regenerating nerve axons, and (3) a better degree of maturation of nerve axons in the bFGF microsphere group than that in the bFGF-free microsphere group. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tubulation with dental pulp cells could recover facial nerve defects functionally and electrophysiologically, and the recovery became comparable to that of nerve autografting in rats.

After being transplanted into a facial nerve defect, dedifferentiated fat cells promoted the maturation of the regenerated nerve.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) promote nerve regeneration. Biodegradable nerve conduits are used to treat peripheral nerve injuries, but their efficiencies are lower than those of autologous nerve grafts. This study developed biodegradable nerve conduits containing ADSCs and SVF and evaluated their facial nerve regenerating abilities in a rat model with a 7-mm nerve defect. SVF and ADSCs were individually poured into nerve conduits with polyglycolic acid-type I collagen as a scaffold (ADSCs and SVF groups). The conduits were grafted on to the nerve defects. As the control, the defect was bridged with polyglycolic acid-collagen nerve conduits without cells. At 13 weeks, after transplantation, the regenerated nerves were evaluated physiologically and histologically. The compound muscle action potential of the SVF group was significantly higher in amplitude than that of the control group. Electron microscopy showed that the axon diameter of the SVF group was the largest, followed by the ADSC group and control group with significant differences among them. The SVF group had the largest fiber diameter, followed by the ADSC group and control group with significant differences among them. The ADSC group had the highest myelin thickness, followed by the SVF group and control group with significant differences among them. Identical excellent promoting effects on nerve regeneration were observed in both the ADSC and SVF groups. Using SVF in conduits was more practical than using ADSCs because only the enzymatic process was required to prepare SVF, indicating that SVF could be more suitable to induce nerve regeneration.

This study developed a biodegradable nerve conduit with PLA non-woven fabric and evaluated its nerve regeneration-promoting effect. The buccal branch of the facial nerve of 8 week-old Lewis rats was exposed, and a 7 mm nerve defect was created. A nerve conduit made of either PLA non-woven fabric (mean fibre diameter 460 nm), or silicone tube filled with type I collagen gel, or an autologous nerve, was implanted into the nerve defect, and their nerve regenerative abilities were evaluated 13 weeks after the surgery. The number of myelinated neural fibres in the middle portion of the regenerated nerve was the highest for PLA tubes (mean ± SD, 5051 ± 2335), followed by autologous nerves (4233 ± 590) and silicone tubes (1604 ± 148). Axon diameter was significantly greater in the PLA tube group (5.17 ± 1.69 µm) than in the silicone tube group (4.25 ± 1.60 µm) and no significant difference was found between the PLA tube and autograft (5.53 ± 1.93 µm) groups. Myelin thickness was greatest for the autograft group (0.65 ± 0.24 µm), followed by the PLA tube (0.54 ± 0.18 µm) and silicone tube (0.38 ± 0.12 µm) groups, showing significant differences among the three groups. The PLA non-woven fabric tube, composed of randomly-connected PLA fibres, is porous and has a number of advantages, such as sufficient strength to maintain luminal structure. The tube has demonstrated a comparable ability to induce peripheral nerve regeneration following autologous nerve transplantation.

These findings suggest that early changes in deoxygenated hemoglobin seen with hyperspectral imaging may predict the region and extent of flap necrosis. Further clinical studies are needed to determine whether hyperspectral imaging is applicable to the clinical setting.