AccScience Publishing / JBM / Online First / DOI: 10.14440/jbm.2025.0083
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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Platelet-rich plasma as a promising bioscaffold for enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration: An experimental study in a rat sciatic nerve model

Sofija Pejkova1†* ,  Velimir Stojkovski2† ,  Gordana Georgieva1 ,  Boris Aleksovski3 ,  Sofija Tusheva1 ,  Blagoja Srbov1 ,  Elena Rafailovska3 ,  Stefania Azmanova Mladenovska1 ,  Katerina Jovanovska1 ,  Bisera Nikolovska1 ,  Boro Ilievski4 ,  Boro Dzonov1 ,  Trpe Ristoski2 ,  Anita Petrushevska1 ,  Icko Gjorgoski3†
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1 University Clinic for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Ss Cyril and Methodius, Skopje 1000, North Macedonia
2 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University Ss Cyril and Methodius, Skopje 1000, North Macedonia
3 Institute for Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University Ss Cyril and Methodius, Skopje 1000, North Macedonia
4 Institute for Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University Ss Cyril and Methodius, Skopje 1000, North Macedonia
JBM, e99010051 https://doi.org/10.14440/jbm.2025.0083
Submitted: 12 September 2024 | Revised: 10 October 2024 | Accepted: 26 December 2024 | Published: 19 February 2025
© 2025 by the Journal of Biological Methods published by POL Scientific. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Background: Despite advancements in surgical treatments, impairments persist after peripheral nerve injuries, prompting a shift in research toward the microenvironment of injured axons. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), rich in growth factors and derived from autologous blood, emerges as a potential candidate to accelerate nerve healing. Objective: This study investigated the role of PRP in enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration using a rat sciatic nerve model (n = 8) in female Wistar rats. Methods: A transected sciatic nerve model was created, with both hindlimbs repaired through end-to-end neurorrhaphy. PRP, prepared from the blood of a healthy Wistar rat, was applied to one hindlimb. Functional recovery was assessed using sciatic indices. At the 20-week time point, histological evaluations were performed to compare PRP-treated hindlimbs with control ones. Statistical analysis was conducted to compare the results between the two groups using three different calculations for specific parameters. Results: Walking track-based sciatic functional index (SFI) showed an improvement of 66.0%, 47.8%, and 71.6% (p < 0.05). Video analysis-based SFI revealed a 36.7% and 27.3% improvement (p < 0.05). Static sciatic index calculations indicated an improvement of 19.4% for vertical standing and 26.7% for standing on all four limbs (p < 0.001). Histopathological analysis showed a reduction in inflammation, a decrease in fibrosis, and the absence of macrophages in the sciatic nerves of the experimental group. Muscle specimens from the PRP-treated group exhibited fewer macrophages and significantly less fibrosis (p < 0.05). Overall, PRP treatment significantly improved all functional indices. Conclusion: This study demonstrated PRP’s utility in promoting peripheral nerve regeneration, highlighting its potential for both fundamental research and clinical applications.

Keywords
Platelet-rich plasma
Peripheral nerve regeneration
Nerve repair
Experimental study
Surgical techniques
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
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Journal of Biological Methods, Electronic ISSN: 2326-9901 Print ISSN: TBA, Published by POL Scientific
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