An Experimental Study to Bridge a Nerve Gap with a Decellularized Allogeneic Nerve.

Background: The authors evaluated the efficacy of decellularized nerve as a scaffold for nerve regeneration.

Methods: Sciatic nerves harvested from Sprague-Dawley rats were decellularized in combination with sodium dodecyl sulfate and Triton X-100, and examined with scanning electron microscopy and immunofluorescence staining. A graft into the sciatic nerve in Wistar rats was performed with the decellularized Sprague-Dawley rat sciatic nerves [allograft: 10 mm long (n = 3) for short term and 15 mm long (n = 5) for long term]. As a control, a portion of sciatic nerve of Wistar rats was cut, reversed, and resutured in situ [autograft: 10 mm long (n = 3) and 15 mm long (n = 5) for different terms, respectively]. Samples were harvested 4 weeks postoperatively and prepared for immunohistochemistry. Von Frey hair test, static toe spread factor measurement, and electrophysiologic and histomorphologic analyses were carried out to evaluate nerve recovery 24 weeks postoperatively.

Results: Scanning electron microscopic images revealed the honeycomb structure, and immunohistology showed that the three-dimensional structure of the basal lamina column on which cell adhesion molecules are integrated is preserved through the decellularization protocols. Limited ED1-positive macrophage invasion was found through the decellularized sciatic nerves, suggesting that antigenicity remained more or less after this treatment. Nevertheless, NF160-positive axons accompanied by S100-positive Schwann cells penetrated through the decellularized sciatic nerves. Sciatic nerve function had recovered, and there were no significant differences in the electrophysiologic and histomorphologic recovery in the groups.

Conclusion: These results suggest that the decellularized allogeneic nerve is a suitable scaffold to bridge a nerve gap.