Application of stem cells alone and in combination with low-level laser therapy for sciatic nerve repair in rats
Abstract This study evaluated the efficacy of tubular constructs containing stem cells and Type I collagen, both independently and in conjunction with low-level laser therapy (LLLT), in repairing the sciatic nerve in a rat model. In this animal study, the right sciatic nerve of 30 male Wistar rats,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-025-05455-2 |
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| author | Mohsen Shalalvand Hamidreza Mahaseni Aghdam Ahmad Asghari Siamak Nehzat Fatemeh Shahsavari Rojin Ardalani |
| author_facet | Mohsen Shalalvand Hamidreza Mahaseni Aghdam Ahmad Asghari Siamak Nehzat Fatemeh Shahsavari Rojin Ardalani |
| author_sort | Mohsen Shalalvand |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This study evaluated the efficacy of tubular constructs containing stem cells and Type I collagen, both independently and in conjunction with low-level laser therapy (LLLT), in repairing the sciatic nerve in a rat model. In this animal study, the right sciatic nerve of 30 male Wistar rats, each weighing 250–300 g, was surgically excised to a length of 8 mm. The rats were then randomly allocated to three groups (n = 10 per group). In Group 1, the excised nerve segment was utilized as an autograft and sutured at the defect site. In Group 2, a tubular construct containing stem cells and Type I collagen was used to bridge the proximal and distal ends of the nerve. Group 3 received the same intervention as group 2, supplemented with 5 weeks of LLLT. After 5 and 12 weeks, rats underwent histological, behavioral, and electrophysiological assessments. Data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Bonferroni post-hoc test, and Kruskal–Wallis test. At both 5 and 12 weeks, axonal count and nerve repair scores showed no significant differences among the three groups (P > 0.05). Notably, the Sciatic Functional Index (SFI) was the most favorable (lowest) in the autograft group, whereas the stem cell-only group exhibited the least favorable (highest) SFI at 5 weeks (P < 0.001). Additionally, distal latency was highest in the stem cell group and lowest in the stem cell combined with LLLT group at 5 weeks (P < 0.001). A significant difference was observed between the autograft and stem cell plus LLLT groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the application of stem cell-laden tubular constructs in conjunction with LLLT demonstrated efficacy for sciatic nerve repair in rats. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c78f703c39244bb997b1b46bb51b2fab |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1749-799X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-c78f703c39244bb997b1b46bb51b2fab2025-01-19T12:32:43ZengBMCJournal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research1749-799X2025-01-0120111210.1186/s13018-025-05455-2Application of stem cells alone and in combination with low-level laser therapy for sciatic nerve repair in ratsMohsen Shalalvand0Hamidreza Mahaseni Aghdam1Ahmad Asghari2Siamak Nehzat3Fatemeh Shahsavari4Rojin Ardalani5Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Babol University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Implant Research Center, Faculty of Dentistry, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad UniversityDepartment of Clinical Science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad UniversityDepartment of Clinical Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad UniversityDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad UniversityDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad UniversityAbstract This study evaluated the efficacy of tubular constructs containing stem cells and Type I collagen, both independently and in conjunction with low-level laser therapy (LLLT), in repairing the sciatic nerve in a rat model. In this animal study, the right sciatic nerve of 30 male Wistar rats, each weighing 250–300 g, was surgically excised to a length of 8 mm. The rats were then randomly allocated to three groups (n = 10 per group). In Group 1, the excised nerve segment was utilized as an autograft and sutured at the defect site. In Group 2, a tubular construct containing stem cells and Type I collagen was used to bridge the proximal and distal ends of the nerve. Group 3 received the same intervention as group 2, supplemented with 5 weeks of LLLT. After 5 and 12 weeks, rats underwent histological, behavioral, and electrophysiological assessments. Data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Bonferroni post-hoc test, and Kruskal–Wallis test. At both 5 and 12 weeks, axonal count and nerve repair scores showed no significant differences among the three groups (P > 0.05). Notably, the Sciatic Functional Index (SFI) was the most favorable (lowest) in the autograft group, whereas the stem cell-only group exhibited the least favorable (highest) SFI at 5 weeks (P < 0.001). Additionally, distal latency was highest in the stem cell group and lowest in the stem cell combined with LLLT group at 5 weeks (P < 0.001). A significant difference was observed between the autograft and stem cell plus LLLT groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the application of stem cell-laden tubular constructs in conjunction with LLLT demonstrated efficacy for sciatic nerve repair in rats.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-025-05455-2Mesenchymal stem cellsStem cellsSciatic nerve repairLow-level laser therapyNerve regenerationElectrophysiological evaluation |
| spellingShingle | Mohsen Shalalvand Hamidreza Mahaseni Aghdam Ahmad Asghari Siamak Nehzat Fatemeh Shahsavari Rojin Ardalani Application of stem cells alone and in combination with low-level laser therapy for sciatic nerve repair in rats Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research Mesenchymal stem cells Stem cells Sciatic nerve repair Low-level laser therapy Nerve regeneration Electrophysiological evaluation |
| title | Application of stem cells alone and in combination with low-level laser therapy for sciatic nerve repair in rats |
| title_full | Application of stem cells alone and in combination with low-level laser therapy for sciatic nerve repair in rats |
| title_fullStr | Application of stem cells alone and in combination with low-level laser therapy for sciatic nerve repair in rats |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of stem cells alone and in combination with low-level laser therapy for sciatic nerve repair in rats |
| title_short | Application of stem cells alone and in combination with low-level laser therapy for sciatic nerve repair in rats |
| title_sort | application of stem cells alone and in combination with low level laser therapy for sciatic nerve repair in rats |
| topic | Mesenchymal stem cells Stem cells Sciatic nerve repair Low-level laser therapy Nerve regeneration Electrophysiological evaluation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-025-05455-2 |
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