Electroacupuncture combined with chitin conduit transplantation facilitates nerve regeneration and function recovery on long-defect sciatica nerve injury of rat

Considering the significant medical and economic toll exacted by the high disability rate of Peripheral nerve injury (PNI), nerve conduit transplantation restores peripheral nerve structure, but fails to resolve poor nerve regeneration and motor function recovery. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to have definite effects on PNI. This study explored the impact of EA combined with chitin conduit transplantation on nerve regeneration in rats with long-segment sciatic nerve defects. In rats with long-segment sciatic nerve defects, we combined chitin conduit transplantation with electroacupuncture (Conduit + EA) for six weeks. Nerves treated with Conduit + EA were compared with those in the control, conduit only, and autograft groups. We monitored nerve regeneration via histological assessments and immunostaining, and evaluated nerve functional recovery using hindfoot behavior and nerve conduction function. Compared with the Control and Conduit only groups, the Conduit + EA group showed significantly higher densities of NF, S100β, and MBP in the grafted conduit. Additionally, the Conduit + EA group showed a greater number of L4/L5 spinal motor neurons, more gastrocnemius wet weight, larger average muscle fiber cross-sectional areas, and more motor endplates. Hindfoot behavior and nerve conduction function were also improved more prominently in the Conduit + EA group, indicating enhanced nerve regeneration and functional recovery. EA combined with chitin conduit graft could better promote the nerve regeneration and it may be an effective treatment strategy for long-segment nerve deficits in clinic.