Cerebrum Repair with PHPMA Hydrogel Immobilized with Neurite-promoting Peptides in Traumatic Brain Injury of Adult Rat Model

A poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide] (PHPMA) hydrogel immobilized with the neurite-promoting peptide sequence of xIKVAVx was synthesized and its structure was characterized. The PHPMA-IKVAV hydrogel displayed an interconnected porous structure. The ability of the hydrogel to support axonal outgrowth in the injured adult rats cerebrum cavity and to promote tissue regeneration was evaluated. After implantation for 4, 6, 12 and 18 weeks, the brain sections were processed for histological staining. The observations of the sections showed that the polymer hydrogel provided a structural, three-dimensional continuity across the defect and favoured reorganization of local wound-repair cells, angiogenesis and axonal growth into the hydrogel scaffold. Compared with the unmodified PHPMA hydrogel, the PHPMA-IKVAV hydrogel displayed greater ability to repair tissue defects in the cerebrum nervous system.