Injectable Peptide Hydrogel Encapsulation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improved Viability, Stemness, Anti-Inflammatory Effects, and Early Stage Wound Healing.
Quan LiGuangyan QiDylan LutterWarren BeardCamila R S SouzaMargaret A HighlandWei WuPing LiYuanyuan ZhangAnthony J AtalaXiuzhi SunPublished in: Biomolecules (2022)
Human-adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) are adult stem cells and are relatively easy to access compared to other sources of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). They have shown immunomodulation properties as well as effects in improving tissue regeneration. To better stimulate and preserve the therapeutic properties of hADMSCs, biomaterials for cell delivery have been studied extensively. To date, hyaluronic acid (HA)-based materials have been most widely adopted by researchers around the world. PGmatrix is a new peptide-based hydrogel that has shown superior functional properties in 3D cell cultures. Here, we reported the in vitro and in vivo functional effects of PGmatrix on hADMSCs in comparison with HA and HA-based Hystem hydrogels. Our results showed that PGmatrix was far superior in maintaining hADMSC viability during prolonged incubation and stimulated expression of SSEA4 (stage-specific embryonic antigen-4) in hADMSCs. hADMSCs encapsulated in PGmatrix secreted more immune-responsive proteins than those in HA or Hystem, though similar VEGF-A and TGFβ1 release levels were observed in all three hydrogels. In vivo studies revealed that hADMSCs encapsulated with PGmatrix showed improved skin wound healing in diabetic-induced mice at an early stage, suggesting possible anti-inflammatory effects, though similar re-epithelialization and collagen density were observed among PGmatrix and HA or Hystem hydrogels by day 21.
Keyphrases
- wound healing
- mesenchymal stem cells
- hyaluronic acid
- early stage
- cell therapy
- stem cells
- umbilical cord
- single cell
- endothelial cells
- bone marrow
- tissue engineering
- high glucose
- poor prognosis
- epithelial mesenchymal transition
- drug delivery
- transforming growth factor
- sentinel lymph node
- cancer therapy
- squamous cell carcinoma
- long non coding rna
- metabolic syndrome
- induced pluripotent stem cells
- adipose tissue
- drug release