Immunologic, Proangiogenic and Neurogenic Assessment of Allogenic Epineurium of the Human Peripheral Nerve for Potential Application in Prevention of Neuroma Formation
1Clinical Immunology Department, Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy PAS, Wroclaw, Poland
2Wroclaw Research Centre EIT+, Wroclaw, Poland
3Regenerative Medicine Tissue Engineering Department, Nicolaus Copernicus University Collegium Medicum, Bydgoszcz, Poland
4Department of Surgery, 4th Military Clinical Hospital, Wroclaw, Poland
5Department of Orthopaedics, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
Meeting: 2015 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: B65
Keywords: Alloantigens, Immunogenicity, Inflammation, Nerve allografts
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session B: Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapies
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Sunday, May 3, 2015
Session Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm
Presentation Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm
Location: Exhibit Hall E
Purpose: Transplantation of epineural sheath may support nerve regeneration after traumatic nerve injuries. Unsolved problem after nerve injury is painful neuroma formation. Natural biologic material, the most immunologically neutral, would be appropriate as a protective barrier. We assessed the immunologic, neurogenic and proangiogenic properties of the human epineurium for potential application in prevention of neuroma formation.
Materials and Methods: Twenty eight nerve samples, obtained from 10 deceased donors from the ilioinguinal nerves (n=19), and 9 samples taken from 5 sciatic nerves from limbs amputated due to critical limb ischemia, were examined. Cross-sectioned samples, and empty epineural sheath created after nerve fascicles removal using pull out technique, were prepared. The assessment included hematoxylin+eosin (H+E) for histology, and immunohistochemistry for: neurogenic (S-100, GFAP), proangiogenic (VEGF, CD31) and immunogenic (HLA-class-I, HLA-class-II, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD68) markers.
Results: Normal architecture of nerves was confirmed by H+E staining and by S-100 expression in all axons. Epineurium from deceased donors were characterized by: less intensive expression of HLA-class-I on vessel endothelium and less expression of HLA-class-II antigens on infiltrated cells; the presence of single T-lymphocytes; and moderate number of macrophages CD68+, compared to epineurium from amputated limbs where T-cells were more abundant and formed clusters (>50 cells). The vessel density CD31+ and VEGF+ was greater in epineurium from deceased donors compared to these from amputated limb (3.42±1.5 vs 2.57±1.39 and 2.00±0.99 vs 0.67±0.53; p=0.0002 respectively).
Conclusion: Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed less immunogenic and higher proangiogenic properties of epineurium from deceased donors over amputated limb, which may serve as a potential biologic material for prevention of neuroma formation for allogenic recipients.
Supported by grant POIG.01.01.02-02-003/08-00
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Klimczak A, Futoma K, Jundzill A, Patrzalek D, Siemionow M. Immunologic, Proangiogenic and Neurogenic Assessment of Allogenic Epineurium of the Human Peripheral Nerve for Potential Application in Prevention of Neuroma Formation [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2015; 15 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/immunologic-proangiogenic-and-neurogenic-assessment-of-allogenic-epineurium-of-the-human-peripheral-nerve-for-potential-application-in-prevention-of-neuroma-formation/. Accessed May 19, 2025.« Back to 2015 American Transplant Congress