Protective Effect of Moderate Exogenous Electric Field Stimulation on Activating Netrin-1/DCC Expression Against Mechanical Stretch-Induced Injury in Spinal Cord Neurons

Nerve cells detect and respond to electric field stimulation and extrinsic chemical guidance cues during development and regeneration; therefore, the development and optimization of an approach for functional neuronal regeneration are necessary for a nerve injury. In this study, we proposed using electric field stimulation to repair a nerve injury triggered by serious mechanical stretch loading. A device that provides continuous mechanical stretch and constant electric field stimulation was designed. Primary dissociated spinal cord neurons were stimulated by mechanical stretch (tensile strain 2.5–10%) at different times (1, 4, 8, and 12 h) to set up a moderate nerve injury model. Stimulated samples were evaluated with respect to cell viability, density, and axonal elongation by the MTT and immunofluorescence assays. The results indicated that mechanical stretch (S, 5% tensile strain, 4 h) caused moderate axonal injury, resulting in significant loss of cell viability and a decrease in cell density. However, injured spinal cord neurons became viable after electric field stimulation (E, 33 mA/m², 4 h) in the fluorescein diacetate assay. In addition, neuronal viability, density, and elongation increased significantly after electric field stimulation compared with those of stretch-injured neurons. Moreover, electric field stimulation significantly activated the axonal guidance cues Netrin-1 and deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) receptor expression compared with the stretch-injury group. These results indicate that electric stimulation activates synergistic guidance cues of expression to improve axonal growth relevant to nerve injuries. Our study provides new insight into neuronal regeneration.