Prostata Nervenregeneration

When the prostate is surgically removed, the surrounding nerve plexus is injured, which can lead to impotence and loss of urinary control (stress incontinence). To counteract this, a novel therapy concept is being established: a resorbable hydrogel that can be shaped in situ is intended to serve as a growth matrix for regenerating nerve fibers. The hydrogel is based on a solution with a biological matrix component that is polymerized directly during the operation and can therefore adapt to the individual anatomical conditions. The therapy is intended to close a gap in prostate therapy.

Spinal cord injuries and damage to the peripheral nervous system cannot be healed, or only to a limited extent. Nerve regeneration is primarily prevented by gaps in the tissue, scarring and inhibitory proteins. Nanomedical approaches promise innovative regenerative therapies in addition to traditional methods. The proposed project offers a new interdisciplinary concept in the field of materials science and biomedical research. This project combines nanostructured resorbable implants with molecular biological nanotherapeutics.

In this concept, nanostructured, resorbable implants (tubes containing filaments) with nanopores are used. These guarantee an exchange of nutrients and at the same time prevent the infiltration of disturbing cells. With these biomaterial-based implants, we will be able to specifically bridge the lesion site in the nerve tissue. Nanotherapeutics, such as oligonucleotide biomaterial nanoparticles, will be integrated into the above-mentioned implant and will thus modulate very specific cellular processes in order to a) specifically counteract scarring and b) to desensitize regrowing neurites to growth-inhibiting proteins in adult nerve tissue. The intracellular signaling pathways of neurites are therapeutically modified by suppressing central proteins.[nbsp] This inhibition of the proteins occurs by switching off the associated genes using ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi).

For a possible clinical application of RNAi technology (Nobel Prize 2006) in the nervous system, we will specifically focus on the production of siRNA nanoparticles. This includes new cell-specific products in connection with the macro-implant. The incorporation of these nanotherapeutics into the biomaterial of the implant will mean a new, innovative drug delivery at the target site. The nano-biofunctionalized implants will be tested in preclinical lesion models of the peripheral nervous system and spinal cord in rats. Nanotherapeutic technology is a cross-sectional technology that could easily be applied to many other medical indications. The combined, far-reaching competences of the European countries will enable us to achieve the goals of this interdisciplinary regenerative therapy concept.