Amniotic fluid stem cell-conditioned media as a therapeutic adjunct in peripheral nerve injury repair - insights from a sciatic nerve mouse model

Q: What was the purpose of testing AFS-CM in peripheral nerve repair?

The study assessed whether AFS-CM could improve functional recovery and tissue outcomes after sciatic nerve injury compared with hydrogel-only reconstruction.

Q: How were the mice grouped and treated in the sciatic nerve model?

Thirty-six male CD1 mice were divided into three groups: direct end-to-end repair, hydrogel-coated silicone graft, or an AFS-CM-infused hydrogel-coated silicone graft, with treatments given biweekly.

Q: Which outcomes improved with AFS-CM despite limited electrophysiological differences?

AFS-CM improved gait overlap distance and ataxia coefficient and supported neuromuscular junction recovery while reducing muscle atrophy markers, although electrophysiological measures and oxidative stress indicators showed no significant differences.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Angel

Peripheral nerve injuries cause long-lasting morbidity, including motor weakness, pain, and functional deficits, even when treated promptly. This study evaluates whether amniotic fluid stem cell-conditioned media (AFS-CM) enhances peripheral nerve recovery using a sciatic nerve transection model in CD1 mice. Thirty-six male mice receive direct repair, hydrogel-only grafting, or AFS-CM-infused hydrogel. Functional outcomes, electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, and oxidative stress markers are assessed over two months.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Methods

Functional recovery assessment

Immunohistochemistry and statistics

Results

Gait outcomes

Neuromuscular junction and muscle atrophy markers

Oxidative stress findings

Conclusions

Original Article | Emerging Therapeutics Amniotic fluid stem cell-conditioned media as a therapeutic adjunct in peripheral nerve injury repair: insights from a sciatic nerve mouse model Chukwuweike Gwam 1 , Ayobami Ogunsola 1 , Austin Foster 1 , Kellie Shell2 , Alexander I. Oluyinka 3 , Shreyaashri Selvakumar3, Xue Ma1 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA; 2Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine-Greenville, Greenville, SC, USA; 3Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Florida Orthopaedic Associates, DeLand, FL, USA Contributions: (I) Conception and design: C Gwam, X Ma, A Ogunsola; (II) Administrative support: C Gwam, X Ma, A Ogunsola; (III) Provision of study materials or patients: C Gwam, X Ma, A Ogunsola, A Foster; (IV) Collection and assembly of data: C Gwam, X Ma; (V) Data analysis and interpretation: All authors; (VI) Manuscript writing: All authors; (VII) Final approval of manuscript: All authors. Correspondence to: Alexander I. Oluyinka, BS. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Florida Orthopedic Associates, 740 W Plymouth Ave, Deland, FL 32720, [USA. Email: Alexanderoluyinka@gmail.com](USA. Email: Alexanderoluyinka@gmail.com). Background: Peripheral nerve injuries can result in severe and lasting morbidity, including motor weakness, pain, and functional deficits, even with timely intervention. Treatment options include nonoperative management and surgical interventions, such as direct end-to-end nerve repair for low-tension injuries or grafting techniques (e.g., autograft, allograft, and tissue-engineered grafts) for large-gap injuries. Recent research has focused on the regenerative potential of human amniotic fluid stem cells (AFS) due to their paracrine effects. Amniotic fluid stem cell-conditioned media (AFS-CM) has emerged as a promising therapeutic adjunct, offering ease of formulation and low immunogenicity. However, the role of AFS-CM in peripheral nerve repair remains poorly understood. This study investigates the effects of AFS-CM on peripheral nerve recovery in a sciatic nerve injury model in CD1 mice. Methods: Thirty-six male CD1 mice underwent sciatic nerve transection of the left hindlimb and were divided into three groups: (I) control group—direct end-to-end nerve repair; (II) hydrogel group—reconstruction with a hydrogel-coated silicone graft; and (III) AFS-CM group—reconstruction with an AFS-CM-infused hydrogel-coated silicone graft. Post-surgical treatments were administered biweekly via hydrogel (control and hydrogel groups) or hydrogel plus AFS-CM (AFS-CM group) . Functional recovery was assessed through gait analysis, electromyography (EMG), and nerve conduction studies at two weeks, one month, and two months. Muscle and nerve tissues were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Statistical analyses included analysis of variance (ANOVA) and generalized linear models, with a significance threshold of P<0 .05. Results: No significant differences were observed in EMG amplitude and latency or the G-ratio across all groups (P>0.05) . Gait analysis revealed substantial improvements in overlap distance (P<0.001) and ataxia coefficient (P=0.01) in the AFS-CM group compared to the hydrogel group. The AFS-CM group also demonstrated reduced expression of muscle RING-finger protein-1 (MURF-1), indicative of less muscle atrophy, and increased expression of alpha-bungarotoxin, suggesting improved neuromuscular junction (NMJ) recovery. Among the groups, no significant differences were noted in malondialdehyde expression, a marker of oxidative stress. Conclusions: AFS-CM shows promise as a therapeutic adjunct in peripheral nerve repair, improving functional outcomes and reducing muscle atrophy compared to hydrogel-only reconstruction. While electrophysiological and morphological outcomes showed no significant differences, the enhanced gait performance and NMJ recovery observed in the AFS-CM group highlight its regenerative p

FAQs

What was the purpose of testing AFS-CM in peripheral nerve repair?

The study assessed whether AFS-CM could improve functional recovery and tissue outcomes after sciatic nerve injury compared with hydrogel-only reconstruction.

How were the mice grouped and treated in the sciatic nerve model?

Thirty-six male CD1 mice were divided into three groups: direct end-to-end repair, hydrogel-coated silicone graft, or an AFS-CM-infused hydrogel-coated silicone graft, with treatments given biweekly.

Which outcomes improved with AFS-CM despite limited electrophysiological differences?

AFS-CM improved gait overlap distance and ataxia coefficient and supported neuromuscular junction recovery while reducing muscle atrophy markers, although electrophysiological measures and oxidative stress indicators showed no significant differences.

Sep 29, 2026

Uploaded by Angel