Combinatorial Therapies After Spinal Cord Injury: How Can Biomaterials Help?

• Published in: Advanced healthcare materials 2017-05, Vol.6 (10), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Führmann, Tobias, Anandakumaran, Priya N., Shoichet, Molly S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biocompatible Materials - therapeutic use; Biomaterials; Biomedical materials; Cavitation; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cell survival; cell transplantation; Combinatorial analysis; combinatorial strategies; Differentiation; drug delivery; Drug delivery systems; Humans; hydrogel; Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate - chemistry; Injury prevention; Medical prognosis; Regeneration; Scars; Spinal cord injuries; Spinal Cord Injuries - therapy; spinal cord injury; stem cells; Stem Cells - cytology; Surgical implants
• ISSN: 2192-2640; 2192-2659
• DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201601130

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) results in an immediate loss of motor and sensory function below the injury site and is associated with a poor prognosis. The inhibitory environment that develops in response to the injury is mainly due to local expression of inhibitory factors, scarring and the formation of cystic cavitations, all of which limit the regenerative capacity of endogenous or transplanted cells.Strategies that demonstrate promising results induce a change in the microenvironment at‐ and around the lesion site to promote endogenous cell repair, including axonal regeneration or the integration of transplanted cells. To date, many of these strategies target only a single aspect of SCI; however, the multifaceted nature of SCI suggests that combinatorial strategies will likely be more effective.Biomaterials are a key component of combinatorial strategies, as they have the potential to deliver drugs locally over a prolonged period of time and aid in cell survival, integration and differentiation. Here we summarize the advantages and limitations of widely used strategies to promote recovery after injury and highlight recent research where biomaterials aided combinatorial strategies to overcome some of the barriers of spinal cord regeneration. Biomaterial‐based treatment strategies significantly contribute toward the development of novel intervention strategies after spinal cord injury. Biomaterials are able to deliver drugs in a localised and sustained manner, and promote the survival and integration of cells after transplantation. Combinatorial strategies, which utilise novel biomaterials, present a promising approach to promote enhanced functional recovery after injury.