Peptide-modified inverted colloidal crystal scaffolds with bone marrow stromal cells in the treatment for spinal cord injury

Inverted colloidal crystal (ICC) scaffolds grafted with two defined peptides, CSRARKQAASIKVAVSADR and CDPGYIGSR, and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were applied to the treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI) of model rats. The results revealed that the neuronal survival, characterized by the Nissl staining, in the injured thoracic spine at T10 decreased drastically after SCI without treatment over 4 weeks. The neuronal survival was enhanced by the present treatments. The order in the neuronal survival was BMSCs in peptide-modified ICC construct > BMSCs in peptide-free ICC construct > direct injection of BMSCs. Based on the nestin and neurofilament-H staining, the effect of therapeutic method on the quantity of neuronal precursor cells and axonal growth followed the same order as the neuronal survival. When treated with peptide-modified ICC construct, the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and tumor necrosis factor-α significantly reduced, indicating the inhibition of the formation of glial scar tissue and inflammatory cytokine. The ICC topography with the surface peptides can guide the differentiation of BMSCs toward neurons for nerve regeneration and enhance the SCI treatment.