Piezoelectric Stimulation from Electrospun Composite Nanofibers for Rapid Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

Peripheral nerve injuries vary and are common. Cell-based or acellular nerve conduits have high peripheral nerve regeneration potential. However, they are not ideal for complicated nerve differentiation and unclear effects of cytokine interactions. Delayed nerve axon regeneration could be ascribed to lack of regulation of the regenerative microenvironment. Electrical stimulation influences regeneration by regulating electric-sensitive targets. Here, a piezoelectric nerve conduit is developed using composite of PZNF (PCL/ZnO nanofiber) via electrospinning. Endogenous piezoelectric stimulation from PZNF facilitates sciatic nerve regeneration. This material inherits polycaprolactone characteristics and becomes a biocompatible material. It generates stable and desired endogenous electrical stimulation. Compared with polycaprolactone nanofiber (PNF) and nerve bridging in situ , PZNF demonstrates rapid and superior sciatic nerve repair in vivo . Piezoelectric stimulation of PZNF could greatly increase nerve growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor expression. Meanwhile, the PZNF considerably promotes rapid nerve repair and shortens function recovery within 4 weeks in vivo . Moreover, growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) expression increases and upregulates epidermal growth factor expression after piezoelectricity stimulation, indicating that Grb2 may be an electrically sensitive protein and a hint protein of electric-induced regeneration. This study offers a novel strategy to piezoelectrical application in rapid peripheral nerve regeneration.