Localized Immunosuppression of Peripheral Nerve Allografts

UW ID: 19-030

 

Description of Technology

          When peripheral nerves (PNs) are bisected from injury or disease, a bridging device is placed into the gap in order to promote regeneration. Allografts of nerves harvested from donors—usually cadavers—work very well as bridging devices and strongly stimulate regeneration of the nerve. Unfortunately, this method is often not used due to the risks of systemic immunosuppressive therapy. Systemic immunosuppression is when the entire immune system of the patient is suppressed, a situation that puts patients at risk for pathogens, nephrotoxicity, and cancers. Immunosuppressive therapy is also very costly.

          Researchers at the University of Wyoming have created a method to circumvent these risks and expenses by creating a method to localize the immunosuppressive therapy to the immediate area of the tissue graft. The result is a technology that would provide a substantial improvement in patient care within the field of PN repair. Immunosuppression is created by delivering immunosuppressive cell types only to the area of the allografted peripheral nerve by injecting the cells into tissue. The injected cells then provide immunosuppression against the graft by directly contacting and inhibiting immune cells or inhibiting immune cells via factors secreted by the injected cells. The cells could also be injected into the musculature in the vicinity of the nerve graft, but not actually onto the graft itself, which may equally provide localized immunosuppression.

 

Applications

          PN regeneration is often the limiting component of a healthy recovery, and poor regeneration leads to functional motor impairment and alterations in sensory function, ranging from loss of sensation to allodynia (increased pain) and paresthesia (abnormal tingling or prickling). Hundreds of thousands of injuries to PNs occur each year in the US military and civilian population that require surgical intervention; therefore, the significant physical, psychological, and financial aspects of developing this technology to regenerate injured PNs cannot be overemphasized.

 

Features and Benefits

• Less risk involved than conventional methods that involve systematic immunosuppression

• Less costly than systematic immunosuppression

• Higher chance of the graft succeeding because there is less after-procedure care

Downloadable PDF: 19-030

Inventors: 

Jared Bushman

 

Patent Status:  

Patent Pending

 

Contact Us: 

University of Wyoming Technology Transfer and Research Products Center 

Dept. 3672

1000 E. University Ave. 

Laramie, WY 

82071 

Phone: 307-766-2520

Fax: 307-766-2530

Email: WyomingInvents@uwyo.edu