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Efficient Delivery of Nerve Growth Factors to the Central Nervous System for Neural Regeneration
Author(s) -
Xu Duo,
Wu Di,
Qin Meng,
Nih Lina R.,
Liu Chaoyong,
Cao Zheng,
Ren Jie,
Chen Xiangjun,
He Zhanlong,
Yu Wenhai,
Guan Jiaoqiong,
Duan Suqin,
Liu Fang,
Liu Xiangsheng,
Li Jesse,
Harley Dushawn,
Xu Bin,
Hou Lihua,
Chen Irvin S. Y.,
Wen Jing,
Chen Wei,
Pourtaheri Sina,
Lu Yunfeng
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201900727
Subject(s) - central nervous system , neuroscience , regeneration (biology) , nerve growth factor , spinal cord , neurotrophin , nervous system , spinal cord injury , medicine , neural stem cell , biology , stem cell , microbiology and biotechnology , receptor
Abstract The central nervous system (CNS) plays a central role in the control of sensory and motor functions, and the disruption of its barriers can result in severe and debilitating neurological disorders. Neurotrophins are promising therapeutic agents for neural regeneration in the damaged CNS. However, their penetration across the blood–brain barrier remains a formidable challenge, representing a bottleneck for brain and spinal cord therapy. Herein, a nanocapsule‐based delivery system is reported that enables intravenously injected nerve growth factor (NGF) to enter the CNS in healthy mice and nonhuman primates. Under pathological conditions, the delivery of NGF enables neural regeneration, tissue remodeling, and functional recovery in mice with spinal cord injury. This technology can be utilized to deliver other neurotrophins and growth factors to the CNS, opening a new avenue for tissue engineering and the treatment of CNS disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.