Molecular repair of the brain using self-assembling peptides

Abstract

The brain is a self-assembled network of connections and tissue. During the assembly process there are many changes, some are minute some are system-wide. The final system-wide change that occurs is when an injured brain blocks regeneration. Until recently self-assembly has never been used to repair injured brain structures. Using the mammalian visual system as a model for functional return of vision, we demonstrated that a designed self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffold created a permissive environment not only for axons to regenerate through the site of an acute injury, but also to knit the brain tissue together. In experiments using a severed optic tract in the hamster, we showed that regenerated axons reconnected to tarnet tissues with sufficient density to promote functional return of vision, as evidenced by visually elicited orienting behaviour. The peptide nanofiber scaffold not only represents a new nanobiomedical technology for tissue repair and restoration, but also raises the possibility of effective treatment of central nervous system and other tissue or organ trauma.