The role of Genipin crosslinked extracellular matrix loaded bFGF in the repair of peripheral nerve injury

Abstract Background Biomaterials have been extensively utilized in the field of tissue regeneration and repair. The objective of this study was to develop and assess the efficacy of ECM-G@bFGF in the repair of sciatic nerve injuries. Methods The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the sciatic nerve was ex...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yijia Zhang, Gaobao Zhuo, Fangzheng Yu, Xiaodan Xu, Zejing Ruan, Xinyu Hu, Jian Wang, Junyi Zhu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Biotechnology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12896-025-01015-y
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849331602401787904
author Yijia Zhang
Gaobao Zhuo
Fangzheng Yu
Xiaodan Xu
Zejing Ruan
Xinyu Hu
Jian Wang
Junyi Zhu
author_facet Yijia Zhang
Gaobao Zhuo
Fangzheng Yu
Xiaodan Xu
Zejing Ruan
Xinyu Hu
Jian Wang
Junyi Zhu
author_sort Yijia Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Biomaterials have been extensively utilized in the field of tissue regeneration and repair. The objective of this study was to develop and assess the efficacy of ECM-G@bFGF in the repair of sciatic nerve injuries. Methods The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the sciatic nerve was extracted using an acellularization technique. Functionalized ECM-G@bFGF was prepared by cross-linking a mixture of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and genipin(G) into the ECM scaffold. The physicochemical characteristics, biocompatibility, and sustained-release properties of ECM-G@bFGF were systematically evaluated. Additionally, in vivo experiments were conducted to assess the efficacy of ECM-G@bFGF in promoting peripheral nerve regeneration and repair. Results The results demonstrated that the thread-like spatial structure of the sciatic nerve was preserved within the extracellular matrix (ECM) after decellularization. The mixture of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and Genipin was evenly distributed throughout the ECM. The ECM-G@bFGF exhibited excellent swelling properties, favorable biocompatibility, and no significant cytotoxicity. Through the cross-linking effect of Genipin, the degradation rate of the ECM was effectively reduced, and the release duration of bFGF was significantly prolonged. In vivo experimental results further indicated that ECM-G@bFGF could promote faster regeneration of nerve axons, mitigate gastrocnemius denervation-induced atrophy, restore sciatic nerve conduction function, and enhance the recovery of hind limb functionality. Conclusion The experimental results regarding the slow release of growth factors from ECM-G@bFGF demonstrated that ECM derived from different tissues could facilitate the release of growth factors from various sources via Genipin cross-linking.
format Article
id doaj-art-9294db6520c741c5b79dd223323e691b
institution Kabale University
issn 1472-6750
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Biotechnology
spelling doaj-art-9294db6520c741c5b79dd223323e691b2025-08-20T03:46:28ZengBMCBMC Biotechnology1472-67502025-07-0125111110.1186/s12896-025-01015-yThe role of Genipin crosslinked extracellular matrix loaded bFGF in the repair of peripheral nerve injuryYijia Zhang0Gaobao Zhuo1Fangzheng Yu2Xiaodan Xu3Zejing Ruan4Xinyu Hu5Jian Wang6Junyi Zhu7Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Hand Surgery and Peripheral Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Hand Surgery and Peripheral Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Hand Surgery and Peripheral Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Hand Surgery and Peripheral Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityOujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), School of Pharmaceutical Science, Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Hand Surgery and Peripheral Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Hand Surgery and Peripheral Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Background Biomaterials have been extensively utilized in the field of tissue regeneration and repair. The objective of this study was to develop and assess the efficacy of ECM-G@bFGF in the repair of sciatic nerve injuries. Methods The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the sciatic nerve was extracted using an acellularization technique. Functionalized ECM-G@bFGF was prepared by cross-linking a mixture of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and genipin(G) into the ECM scaffold. The physicochemical characteristics, biocompatibility, and sustained-release properties of ECM-G@bFGF were systematically evaluated. Additionally, in vivo experiments were conducted to assess the efficacy of ECM-G@bFGF in promoting peripheral nerve regeneration and repair. Results The results demonstrated that the thread-like spatial structure of the sciatic nerve was preserved within the extracellular matrix (ECM) after decellularization. The mixture of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and Genipin was evenly distributed throughout the ECM. The ECM-G@bFGF exhibited excellent swelling properties, favorable biocompatibility, and no significant cytotoxicity. Through the cross-linking effect of Genipin, the degradation rate of the ECM was effectively reduced, and the release duration of bFGF was significantly prolonged. In vivo experimental results further indicated that ECM-G@bFGF could promote faster regeneration of nerve axons, mitigate gastrocnemius denervation-induced atrophy, restore sciatic nerve conduction function, and enhance the recovery of hind limb functionality. Conclusion The experimental results regarding the slow release of growth factors from ECM-G@bFGF demonstrated that ECM derived from different tissues could facilitate the release of growth factors from various sources via Genipin cross-linking.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12896-025-01015-yExtracellular matrixBasic fibroblast growth factorGenipinNerve regeneration
spellingShingle Yijia Zhang
Gaobao Zhuo
Fangzheng Yu
Xiaodan Xu
Zejing Ruan
Xinyu Hu
Jian Wang
Junyi Zhu
The role of Genipin crosslinked extracellular matrix loaded bFGF in the repair of peripheral nerve injury
BMC Biotechnology
Extracellular matrix
Basic fibroblast growth factor
Genipin
Nerve regeneration
title The role of Genipin crosslinked extracellular matrix loaded bFGF in the repair of peripheral nerve injury
title_full The role of Genipin crosslinked extracellular matrix loaded bFGF in the repair of peripheral nerve injury
title_fullStr The role of Genipin crosslinked extracellular matrix loaded bFGF in the repair of peripheral nerve injury
title_full_unstemmed The role of Genipin crosslinked extracellular matrix loaded bFGF in the repair of peripheral nerve injury
title_short The role of Genipin crosslinked extracellular matrix loaded bFGF in the repair of peripheral nerve injury
title_sort role of genipin crosslinked extracellular matrix loaded bfgf in the repair of peripheral nerve injury
topic Extracellular matrix
Basic fibroblast growth factor
Genipin
Nerve regeneration
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12896-025-01015-y
work_keys_str_mv AT yijiazhang theroleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT gaobaozhuo theroleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT fangzhengyu theroleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT xiaodanxu theroleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT zejingruan theroleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT xinyuhu theroleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT jianwang theroleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT junyizhu theroleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT yijiazhang roleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT gaobaozhuo roleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT fangzhengyu roleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT xiaodanxu roleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT zejingruan roleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT xinyuhu roleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT jianwang roleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury
AT junyizhu roleofgenipincrosslinkedextracellularmatrixloadedbfgfintherepairofperipheralnerveinjury