Graphene Functionalized Scaffolds Reduce the Inflammatory Response and Supports Endogenous Neuroblast Migration when Implanted in the Adult Brain

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 11; no. 3; p. e0151589
• Main Authors: Zhou, Kun, Motamed, Sepideh, Thouas, George A, Bernard, Claude C, Li, Dan, Parkington, Helena C, Coleman, Harold A, Finkelstein, David I, Forsythe, John S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 15.03.2016; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Animals; Astrocytes - drug effects; Astrocytes - physiology; Biology and Life Sciences; Brain; Brain injury; Cell migration; Cell Movement - drug effects; Cell survival; Central nervous system; Charge materials; Charge transfer; Chemical vapor deposition; Cicatrix - prevention & control; Coated Materials, Biocompatible - toxicity; Colloids; Corpus Striatum - injuries; Corpus Striatum - pathology; Corpus Striatum - physiology; Electric Capacitance; Electric Conductivity; Electroactive materials; Extracellular matrix; Foreign-Body Reaction - etiology; Foreign-Body Reaction - prevention & control; Gliosis - prevention & control; Graphene; Graphite - administration & dosage; Graphite - pharmacology; Head injuries; Health aspects; Implantation; Inflammation; Inflammatory response; Lateral Ventricles - injuries; Lateral Ventricles - pathology; Lateral Ventricles - physiology; Male; Materials science; Materials Testing; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mental health; Microglia; Microglia - drug effects; Microglia - physiology; Microtechnology; Morphology; Nanostructures - administration & dosage; Nanostructures - adverse effects; Neostriatum; Nerve Regeneration - drug effects; Neural Stem Cells - cytology; Neuroblasts; Neurogenesis - drug effects; Neurons; Neurosciences; Physical Sciences; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Prostheses and Implants - adverse effects; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Recovery of function; Regeneration; Rodents; Scaffolds; Scars; Self-assembly; Subventricular zone; Surgical implants; Tissue engineering; Tissue Scaffolds - adverse effects; Australia
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151589

Electroactive materials have been investigated as next-generation neuronal tissue engineering scaffolds to enhance neuronal regeneration and functional recovery after brain injury. Graphene, an emerging neuronal scaffold material with charge transfer properties, has shown promising results for neuronal cell survival and differentiation in vitro. In this in vivo work, electrospun microfiber scaffolds coated with self-assembled colloidal graphene, were implanted into the striatum or into the subventricular zone of adult rats. Microglia and astrocyte activation levels were suppressed with graphene functionalization. In addition, self-assembled graphene implants prevented glial scarring in the brain 7 weeks following implantation. Astrocyte guidance within the scaffold and redirection of neuroblasts from the subventricular zone along the implants was also demonstrated. These findings provide new functional evidence for the potential use of graphene scaffolds as a therapeutic platform to support central nervous system regeneration.