Activated Platelet-Rich Plasma Fibrin Scaffolds Enhance Axonal Regeneration and Functional Recovery Following Spinal Cord Injury.

PURPOSE: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition with limited therapeutic options owing to poor intrinsic regeneration and the formation of glial scars. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)-based biomaterials have emerged as promising candidates for neural repair; however, their application in complete SCI models with rigorous multimodal validation has not yet been investigated. This study aimed to extend the current knowledge on SCI-PRP based study, by developing and comprehensively validating a clinically translatable PRP-derived fibrin scaffold for spinal cord regeneration.

METHODS

PRP-fibrin scaffolds were synthesized from donor-derived plasma and extensively characterized in terms of their physicochemical properties, degradation profiles, protein release dynamics, and cellular compatibility. Its regenerative potential was evaluated using an integrative pipeline that included in ovo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays, a complete spinal cord transection rat model, and multimodal outcome measures, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), retrograde neuronal tract tracing, electrophysiological recordings, and gene expression analyses.

RESULTS

The scaffold exhibited favorable structural and biochemical characteristics, supported angiogenesis in the CAM assay, and promoted tissue integration in vivo. In an SCI model, the scaffold significantly enhanced neovascularization, reduced glial scarring, and facilitated axonal regeneration. Functional improvements were observed 30 days' post-implantation. In silico docking further demonstrated stable interactions between scaffold proteins and key neuroregenerative signaling molecules.

CONCLUSION

This study provides multimodal validation of the derived fibrin scaffold, establishing it as a robust ECM-mimetic platform for spinal cord repair. These findings lay the groundwork for future clinical translation of SCI therapeutics.