For a long time, spinal cord injuries have inflicted immense physical and emotional suffering on countless patients. Traditional treatment methods have had limited effectiveness, often only slowing the progression of the disease without restoring health to the patients. However, a team led by Associate Professor Zhuo-hao Liu at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital has successfully developed a "DHA Nanofiber Composite," which combines nanofibrous electrospun membranes with the neuroprotective substance DHA, offering new hope for patient recovery.
The key to this technology lies in its unique core-shell nanofiber structure, which stably encapsulates DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and enables its slow release for over a month. DHA is an Omega-3 fatty acid critical to the nervous system, known not only for its neuroprotective properties but also for promoting neuroplasticity, aiding in the regeneration and functional recovery of nerve cells. Animal experiments have shown that this DHA sustained-release nanofiber membrane significantly enhances nerve function recovery, increases neuron survival rates in the damaged area, and strengthens nerve fiber growth and signal transmission.
A Dual-Action Approach: Upgrading Nanofiber Membrane Technology with DHA and BDNF
Associate Professor Liu's team did not stop there. They further explored the potential of nanofiber membranes in nerve repair. In addition to DHA, they successfully encapsulated another neurotrophic factor, BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), within the nanofiber membrane. BDNF is also vital for the survival, development, and function of neurons, promoting axon sprouting and remodeling, thus further enhancing nerve repair.
The nanofiber membrane containing both DHA and BDNF demonstrated even more remarkable results in nerve function recovery. This dual-action strategy undoubtedly provides a more powerful tool for treating spinal cord injuries. In the future, the team plans to apply the nanofiber membrane in stem cell therapy, opening up even more possibilities for spinal cord injury treatment.
Associate Professor Zhuo-hao Liu: Committed to Bringing Hope and a Future to Patients
Associate Professor Zhuo-hao Liu explained that electrospinning is a highly promising technology due to its ability to rapidly and directly transform materials into nanofibers, coupled with a relatively simple and straightforward process. Because of its porous structure, similar to the extracellular matrix in the body, many researchers have recently begun using electrospun nanofiber membranes in tissue engineering research as cell scaffolds, with high potential for clinical applications.
Liu further elaborated that the team encapsulated DHA within the electrospun nanofibers, utilizing the core-shell nanofiber structure to maintain drug stability, overcoming the drawback of rapid and excessive drug release. This allows for effective localized sustained release, achieving favorable nerve repair results in both in vitro and animal experiments.
The successful development of this technology is not only a major breakthrough in scientific research but also a significant blessing for countless spinal cord injury patients. It is believed that in the near future, this technology will bring hope for recovery to many patients, enabling them to once again embrace the joys of life.
Resource (mandarin): DHA緩釋放奈米纖維膜 雙效出擊修復脊損傷者神經！
