Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42458478›Full record

ArticleJournal of translational medicine2026

Delayed repair of singly transected and segmental-loss peripheral nerve injuries in rat sciatic nerves using optimized PEG-fusion protocols and stored viable peripheral nerve allografts.

Alexa N Olivarez, Cathy Z Yang, Liwen Zhou, Michelle Mikesh, Cameron L Ghergherehchi, Henry A Garcia, Alexander M Schafer, Guhan Periyasamy, Phuong Vy Nguyen, Yiming Hao and 6 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of translational medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Alexa N Olivarez *Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Cathy Z Yang *Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Liwen Zhou *Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Michelle MikeshCryo-Electron Microscopy Core, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Cameron L GhergherehchiDepartment of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Henry A GarciaDepartment of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Alexander M SchaferDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Guhan PeriyasamyDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Phuong Vy NguyenDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Yiming HaoDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Arjun AgarwalDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Varun GokhaleDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Rhea SoodDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Neha NagarajanDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Sushant SanklipurDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
George D BittnerDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA. bittner@austin.utexas.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5610-6264

Funding

Lone Star Paralysis Foundation Lone Star Paralysis FoundationNational Instiute of Health R01-NS128086
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSingly transected and segmental-loss peripheral nerve injuries (ST- and SL-PNIs) produce immediate loss of sensorimotor functions. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-fusion repairs performed immediately following ST- and SL-PNIs improve long-term outcomes in animal models, with SL-PNIs repaired using fresh or 1-to-3 day stored viable peripheral nerve allografts (VPNAs). Here, we propose several optimizations for the existing PEG-fusion protocols to repair ST- and SL-PNIs with a delay of 24-48 h post-injury, using longer stored VPNAs for SL-PNIs, both conditions critical for translating PEG-fusion to the clinic.

methodsOptimized PEG-fusion protocols to repair ST- and SL-PNIs of the rat sciatic nerve include the additional steps of topical application of low-dose epinephrine and/or local administration of methylprednisolone. Electrophysiological recordings were used to assess the success of surgeries, and Sciatic Functional Index and end-point nerve morphology were performed to assess long-term recovery. For longer VPNA storage, a static storage protocol was established, and the viability of VPNAs was assessed electrophysiologically prior to transplantation and morphologically.

resultsTogether, our optimized PEG-fusion and static storage protocols successfully repair ST- and SL-PNIs with a delay of at least 24 h, with SL-PNIs repaired using VPNAs stored for at least 3 weeks. Topical application of low-dose epinephrine stops intraoperative bleeding and improves behavioral recovery. Local administration of methylprednisolone following PEG-fusion eliminates microvasculitis and further improves behavioral recovery.

conclusionsThe findings in this study using rats, along with the ongoing PEG-fusion clinical trials, suggest the feasibility of clinically translating delayed PEG-fusion repair for ST- or SL-PNIs in humans, and support further investigation into the storage of VPNAs at tissue banks.

Indexed as

AllograftsPeripheral Nerve InjuriesPolyethylene GlycolsSciatic NerveAnimalsMaleMethylprednisoloneNerve RegenerationRatsRecovery of FunctionTime FactorsMethylprednisolonePolyethylene GlycolsEpinephrineGraft storageMethylprednisolonePolyethylene glycolSciatic functional indexSciatic nerve ablationStatic cold storage

Identifiers

PMID42458478
PMCPMC13393738

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.