The GDNF-gel/HA-Mg conduit promotes the repair of peripheral nerve defects by regulating PPAR-g/RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway

Magnesium (Mg) -based conduits have gained more attention in repairing peripheral nerve defects. However, they are limited due to poor corrosion resistance and rapid degradation rate. To tackle this issue, glial cell line -derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)- Gelatin methacryloyl (Gel)/hydroxylapatite (HA) -Mg nerve conduit was developed and implanted in sciatic nerve defect model in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The sciatic functional index measurement showed that the GDNF-Gel/HA-Mg nerve conduit effectively promoted the recovery of sciatic nerve function. The pathological examination results showed that there were more regenerated nerve tissues in GDNF-Gel/HA-Mg group, with a higher number of regenerating axons, and the thickness of the myelin sheath was significantly larger than that of control group (NC group). Immunofluorescence results revealed that the GDNF-Gel/HA-Mg conduit significantly promoted the expression of genes associated with nerve repair. RNA-seq and molecular test results indicated that GDNF-Gel/HA-Mg might be involved in the repair of peripheral nerve defects by regulating PPAR-g/ RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway. Biological sciences; Neuroscience; Molecular neuroscience; Techniques in neuroscience