Baicalein-functionalized collagen scaffolds direct neuronal differentiation toward enhancing spinal cord injury repair

• DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01467j
• Publication Date: 2022-12-06T14:22:01Z
• Authors: Lin Qian; Keni Yang; Xiru Liu; Lulu Zhang; Haitao Zhao; Lin-Zi Qiu; Yun Chu; Wangping Hao; Yan Zhuang; Yanyan Chen; Jianwu Dai
• Keywords: Baicalein; Reprogramming; Glial scar

Spinal cord injury (SCI) repair remains a major challenge in clinics. Though neural stem cells (NSCs) have shown great potentials SCI treatment, their applications were hampered since they primarily differentiate into astrocytes rather than neurons the injured area, indicating high demand for effective strategies to direct neuronal differentiation. Baicalein is clinical drug with multiple pharmacological activities, while its effects on NSCs rarely been reported. In current work, inspired by similarity of metabolic reprogramming required differentiation and that involved chemoresistance reversal cancer induced baicalein, we studied role baicalein NSC discovered promotion Based this observation, baicalein-functionalized collagen scaffolds (BFCSs) developed applied treatment. The BFCSs released payload sustained way possessed comparable physical properties commonly used collagen. Both vitro studies primary vivo rats showed containing low amount can facilitate not only neurogenesis axon extension, but also reduce astrocyte production glial scar formation. More importantly, BFCS implantation led improvement motor functional recovery rats. Thus, provided potential strategy induce towards facilitating repair, as well treatment other central nervous system injuries.