Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-27-2018

Comments

This article has been peer reviewed. It is the author’s final published version in Journal of Neuroscience, Volume 38, Issue 26, June 2018, Pages 5982-5995.

The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3084-17.2018. Copyright © Ghosh et al.

Abstract

We developed an innovative biomaterial-based approach to repair the critical neural circuitry that controls diaphragm activation by locally delivering brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) to injured cervical spinal cord. BDNF can be used to restore respiratory function via a number of potential repair mechanisms; however, widespread BDNF biodistribution resulting from delivery methods such as systemic injection or lumbar puncture can lead to inefficient drug delivery and adverse side effects. As a viable alternative, we developed a novel hydrogel-based system loaded with polysaccharide-BDNF particles self-assembled by electrostatic interactions that can be safely implanted in the intrathecal space for achieving local BDNF delivery with controlled dosing and duration. Implantation of BDNF hydrogel after C4/C5 contusion-type spinal cord injury (SCI) in female rats robustly preserved diaphragm function, as assessed by

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

PubMed ID

29891731

Language

English

Included in

Neurosciences Commons

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