Sufficient therapeutic effect of cryopreserved frozen adipose-derived regenerative cells on burn wounds

Supercooled preservation of cultured primary rat hepatocyte monolayers

Supercooled preservation (SCP) is a technology that involves cooling a substance below its freezing point without initiating ice crystal formation. It is a promising alternative to prolong the preservation time of cells, tissues, engineered tissue products, and organs compared to the current practices of hypothermic storage. Two-dimensional (2D) engineered tissues are extensively used in in vitro research for drug screening and development and investigation of disease progression. Despite their widespread application, there is a lack of research on the SCP of 2D-engineered tissues. In this study, we presented the effects of SCP at -2 and -6°C on primary rat hepatocyte (PRH) monolayers for the first time and compared cell viability and functionality with cold storage (CS, + 4°C). We preserved PRH monolayers in two different commercially available solutions: Hypothermosol-FRS (HTS-FRS) and the University of Wisconsin (UW) with and without supplements (i.e., polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 3-O-Methyl-Α-D-Glucopyranose (3-OMG)). Our findings revealed that UW with and without supplements were inadequate for the short-term preservation of PRH monolayers for both SCP and CS with high viability, functionality, and monolayer integrity. The combination of supplements (PEG and 3-OMG) in the HTS-FRS solution outperformed the other groups and yielded the highest viability and functional capacity. Notably, PRH monolayers exhibited superior viability and functionality when stored at -2°C through SCP for up to 3 days compared to CS. Overall, our results demonstrated that SCP is a feasible approach to improving the short-term preservation of PRH monolayers and enables readily available 2D-engineered tissues to advance in vitro research. Furthermore, our findings provide insights into preservation outcomes across various biological levels, from cells to tissues and organs, contributing to the advancement of bioengineering and biotechnology.

Bacterial cellulose as an ideal potential treatment for burn wounds: A comprehensive review

Burn wound regeneration is a complex process, which has many serious challenges such as slow wound healing, secondary infection, and inflammation. Therefore, it is essential to utilise appropriate biomaterials to accelerate and guide the wound healing process. Bacterial cellulose (BC), a natural polymer synthesised by some bacteria, has attracted much attention for wound healing applications due to its unique properties including excellent physicochemical and mechanical properties, simple purification process, three-dimensional (3D) network structure similar to extracellular matrix, high purity, high water holding capacity and significant permeability to gas and liquid. BC's lack of antibacterial activity significantly limits its biomedical and tissue engineering application, but adding antimicrobial agents to it remarkably improves its performance in tissue regeneration applications. Burn wound healing is a complex long-lasting process. Using biomaterials in wound treatment has shown that they can satisfactorily accelerate wound healing. The purpose of this review is to elaborate on the importance of BC-based structures as one of the most widely used modern wound dressings in the treatment of burn wounds. In addition, the combination of various drugs, agents, cells and biomolecules with BC to expand its application in burn injury regeneration is discussed. Finally, the main challenges and future development direction of BC-based structures for burn wound repair are considered. The four most popular search engines PubMed/MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar were used to help us find relevant papers. The most frequently used keywords were bacterial cellulose, BC-based biocomposite, wound healing, burn wound and vascular graft.

The efficacy of adipose-derived stem cells in burn injuries: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Burn injuries can be associated with prolonged healing, infection, a substantial inflammatory response, extensive scarring, and eventually death. In recent decades, both the mortality rates and long-term survival of severe burn victims have improved significantly, and burn care research has increasingly focused on a better quality of life post-trauma. However, delayed healing, infection, pain and extensive scar formation remain a major challenge in the treatment of burns. ADSCs, a distinct type of mesenchymal stem cells, have been shown to improve the healing process. The aim of this review is to evaluate the efficacy of ADSCs in the treatment of burn injuries.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science and Embase. The basic research question was formulated with the PICO framework, whereby the usage of ADSCs in the treatment of burns in vivo was determined as the fundamental inclusion criterion. Additionally, pertinent journals focusing on burns and their treatment were screened manually for eligible studies. The review was registered in PROSPERO and reported according to the PRISMA statement.

RESULTS

Of the 599 publications screened, 21 were considered relevant to the key question and were included in the present review. The included studies were almost all conducted on rodents, with one exception, where pigs were investigated. 13 of the studies examined the treatment of full-thickness and eight of deep partial-thickness burn injuries. 57,1 percent of the relevant studies have demonstrated that ADSCs exhibit immunomodulatory effects during the inflammatory response. 16 studies have shown improved neovascularisation with the use of ADSCs. 14 studies report positive influences of ADSCs on granulation tissue formation, while 11 studies highlight their efficacy in promoting re-epithelialisation. 11 trials demonstrated an improvement in outcomes during the remodelling phase.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it appears that adipose-derived stem cells demonstrate remarkable efficacy in the field of regenerative medicine. However, the usage of ADSCs in the treatment of burns is still at an early experimental stage, and further investigations are required in order to examine the potential usage of ADSCs in future clinical burn care.

An Observational Study of Knowledge of First Aid for Burns among Parents in Indonesia

Burns represent a large portion of injuries attending emergency departments each year, with children accounting for the biggest proportion. Appropriate first aid has been shown to help improve the outcome of burns and decrease the need for surgical intervention. Several studies outside of Indonesia demonstrate inadequate parental knowledge of burns first aid, but few evaluated interventions to improve knowledge. A period of data gathering from June to September 2022 was included the parents who have offspring aged between 18 and 12. This questionnaire was developed to achieve the objectives of this study and was based on others of a similar nature. A total of 102 participants were included in this study. In total, 102 parents (79.4% female [n = 81], 20.6% male [n = 21]) were questioned. Baseline knowledge was found to be poor overall; it was found that nearly 91% of parents did not know the first-aid procedures for treating pediatric burns. However, educational initiatives were effective in advancing this knowledge. When a child got burned, nearly 68% of parents knew to use cold running water, and about 70% knew to get help from a doctor. Cold running water being applied is an extremely positive sign, which can have the most beneficial effect on the healing of the injury. No other variables analyzed were shown to be statistically significant predictors of pre- or post-test scores (all P > 0.05). This study concluded that educational knowledge was effective to improve the parents' ability in performing first aid for burn care.

Application of Adipose-Tissue Derived Products for Burn Wound Healing

Burn injuries are a significant global health concern, leading to high morbidity and mortality. Deep burn injuries often result in delayed healing and scar formation, necessitating effective treatment options. Regenerative medicine, particularly cell therapy using adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), has emerged as a promising approach to improving burn wound healing and reducing scarring. Both in vitro and preclinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ASCs and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) in addressing burn wounds. The application of ASCs for burn healing has been studied in various forms, including autologous or allogeneic cells delivered in suspension or within scaffolds in animal burn models. Additionally, ASC-derived non-cellular components, such as conditioned media or exosomes have shown promise. Injection of ASCs and SVF at burn sites have been demonstrated to enhance wound healing by reducing inflammation and promoting angiogenesis, epithelialization, and granulation tissue formation through their paracrine secretome. This review discusses the applications of adipose tissue derivatives in burn injury treatment, encompassing ASC transplantation, as well as the utilization of non-cellular components utilization for therapeutic benefits. The application of ASCs in burn healing in the future will require addressing donor variability, safety, and efficacy for successful clinical application.

Development of supercooling preservation method of adherent cultured human cells

Cryopreservation of mammalian cells is an important technology; however, freezing damage due to osmotic pressure differences and ice crystal formation is inevitable. In addition, cryopreserved cells cannot be used immediately after thawing in many cases. Therefore, in this study, we developed a method for supercooling and preserving adherent cells using a precision temperature-controlled CO2 incubator. The effects of the cooling rate from 37 to -4°C, the warming rate from -4 to 37°C and a preservation solution on cell viability after storage were examined. Human hepatocarcinoma-derived cell line HepG2 cells, preserved with HypoThermosol FRS at -4°C with a cooling rate of -0.028°C/min (24 h from 37°C to -4°C) and warming to 37°C at a rate of +1.0°C/min (40 min from -4 to 37°C), displayed high cell viability after 14 days of preservation. The superiority of supercooling preservation at -4°C was demonstrated by comparing the obtained results with that of refrigerated preservation at +4°C. Cells preserved for 14 days under optimal conditions showed no cell shape abnormalities and may be used for experiments immediately after thawing. The optimized supercooling preservation method determined in this study is suitable for the temporary preservation of adherent cultured cells.

Adipose-derived stem cells applied in skin diseases, wound healing and skin defects: a review

Adipose tissue presents a comparably easy source for obtaining stem cells, and more studies are increasingly investigating the therapeutic potential of adipose-derived stem cells. Wound healing, especially in chronic wounds, and treatment of skin diseases are some of the fields investigated. In this narrative review, the authors give an overview of some of the latest studies concerning wound healing as well as treatment of several skin diseases and concentrate on the different forms of application of adipose-derived stem cells.

Importance of Housekeeping Gene Optimization for the Analysis of mRNA Expression During Wound Healing in a Third-Degree Burn Injury Model

Wound healing evaluation methods in a third-degree burn injury model are categorized as histological (re-epithelialization and granulation tissue formation) and molecular (quantitative polymerase chain reaction). In general, mRNA expression is normalized to those of the housekeeping gene. Although the housekeeping gene expression is generally stable, it has been reported that the stability of these genes depends on the wound healing process and treatment method. In this study, we identified the most stable housekeeping gene (TATA-binding protein) for studying gene expression in a third-degree burn injury model, in which wound healing was promoted by grafting human amnion-derived mesenchymal cells. We investigated the wound healing effect of human amnion-derived mesenchymal cells in the injury model. The formation of granulation tissue, the differentiation from fibroblasts to myofibroblasts, and functional vascular structure were promoted in the full-thickness skin excision site by treatment with these cells. The expression of angiogenic, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory related mRNA was measured and normalized to that of the housekeeping gene, showing that treatment with the cells promoted the infiltration of endothelial cells and differentiation of M1 and M2 macrophages. In conclusion, wound healing in a third-degree burn injury model can be accurately analyzed using the optimized housekeeping gene.

New insights into balancing wound healing and scarless skin repair

Scars caused by skin injuries after burns, wounds, abrasions and operations have serious physical and psychological effects on patients. In recent years, the research of scar free wound repair has been greatly expanded. However, understanding the complex mechanisms of wound healing, in which various cells, cytokines and mechanical force interact, is critical to developing a treatment that can achieve scarless wound healing. Therefore, this paper reviews the types of wounds, the mechanism of scar formation in the healing process, and the current research progress on the dual consideration of wound healing and scar prevention, and some strategies for the treatment of scar free wound repair.

3D bioprinted mesenchymal stromal cells in skin wound repair

Skin tissue regeneration and repair is a complex process involving multiple cell types, and current therapies are limited to promoting skin wound healing. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been proven to enhance skin tissue repair through their multidifferentiation and paracrine effects. However, there are still difficulties, such as the limited proliferative potential and the biological processes that need to be strengthened for MSCs in wound healing. Recently, three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has been applied as a promising technology for tissue regeneration. 3D-bioprinted MSCs could maintain a better cell ability for proliferation and expression of biological factors to promote skin wound healing. It has been reported that 3D-bioprinted MSCs could enhance skin tissue repair through anti-inflammatory, cell proliferation and migration, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix remodeling. In this review, we will discuss the progress on the effect of MSCs and 3D bioprinting on the treatment of skin tissue regeneration, as well as the perspective and limitations of current research.

The Role of MSC in Wound Healing, Scarring and Regeneration

Tissue repair and regeneration after damage is not completely understood, and current therapies to support this process are limited. The wound healing process is associated with cell migration and proliferation, extracellular matrix remodeling, angiogenesis and re-epithelialization. In normal conditions, a wound will lead to healing, resulting in reparation of the tissue. Several risk factors, chronic inflammation, and some diseases lead to a deficient wound closure, producing a scar that can finish with a pathological fibrosis. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are widely used for their regenerative capacity and their possible therapeutically potential. Derived products of MSCs, such as exosomes or extravesicles, have shown a therapeutic potential similar to MSCs, and these cell-free products may be interesting in clinics. MSCs or their derivative products have shown paracrine beneficial effects, regulating inflammation, modifying the fibroblast activation and production of collagen and promoting neovascularization and re-epithelialization. This review describes the effects of MSCs and their derived products in each step of the wound repair process. As well, it reviews the pre-clinical and clinical use of MSCs to benefit in skin wound healing in diabetic associated wounds and in pathophysiological fibrosis.

An update on stem cells applications in burn wound healing

Burn wounds have proven to be capable of having a long lasting devastating effects on human body. Conventional therapeutic approaches are not up to the mark as they are unable to completely heal the burn wound easily and effectively. Major pitfalls of these treatments include hypertrophic scarring, contracture and necrosis. Presence of these limitations in the current therapies necessitate the search for a better and more efficient cure. Regenerative potency of stem cells in burn wound healing outweigh the traditional treatment procedures. The use of multiple kinds of stem cells are gaining interest due to their enhanced healing efficiency. Distinctions of stem cells include better and faster burn wound healing, decreased inflammation levels, less scar progression and fibrosis on site. In this review, we have discussed the wound-healing process, present methods used for stem cells administration, methods of enhancing stem cells potency and human studies. Pre-clinical and the clinical studies focused on the treatment of thermal and radiation burns using stem cells from 2003 till the present time have been enlisted. Studies shows that the use of stem cells on burn wounds, whether alone or by the help of a scaffold significantly improves healing. Homing of the stem cells at the wound site results in the re-epithelialization, angiogenesis, granulation, inhibition of apoptosis, and regeneration of skin appendages together with reduced infection rate in the human studies. Several studies on animals have shown that stem cells can effectively promote wound healing. Although more research is needed to find out the effectiveness of this treatment in patients with severe burn wounds.

Current Advanced Therapies Based on Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Skin Diseases

Skin disease may be related with immunological disorders, external aggressions, or genetic conditions. Injuries or cutaneous diseases such as wounds, burns, psoriasis, and scleroderma among others are common pathologies in dermatology, and in some cases, conventional treatments are ineffective. In recent years, advanced therapies using human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) from different sources has emerged as a promising strategy for the treatment of many pathologies. Due to their properties; regenerative, immunomodulatory and differentiation capacities, they could be applied for the treatment of cutaneous diseases. In this review, a total of thirteen types of hMSCs used as advanced therapy have been analyzed, considering the last 5 years (2015-2020). The most investigated types were those isolated from umbilical cord blood (hUCB-MSCs), adipose tissue (hAT-MSCs) and bone marrow (hBM-MSCs). The most studied diseases were wounds and ulcers, burns and psoriasis. At preclinical level, in vivo studies with mice and rats were the main animal models used, and a wide range of types of hMSCs were used. Clinical studies analyzed revealed that cell therapy by intravenous administration was the advanced therapy preferred except in the case of wounds and burns where tissue engineering was also reported. Although in most of the clinical trials reviewed results have not been posted yet, safety was high and only local slight adverse events (mild nausea or abdominal pain) were reported. In terms of effectiveness, it was difficult to compare the results due to the different doses administered and variables measured, but in general, percentage of wound's size reduction was higher than 80% in wounds, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index and Severity Scoring for Atopic Dermatitis were significantly reduced, for scleroderma, parameters such as Modified Rodnan skin score (MRSC) or European Scleroderma Study Group activity index reported an improvement of the disease and for hypertrophic scars, Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) score was decreased after applying these therapies. On balance, hMSCs used for the treatment of cutaneous diseases is a promising strategy, however, the different experimental designs and endpoints stablished in each study, makes necessary more research to find the best way to treat each patient and disease.

Comparison of Clinical and Imaging Outcomes of Different Doses of Adipose-Derived Stromal Vascular Fraction Cell Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis

Favorable clinical outcomes of intra-articular injection of adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells for knee osteoarthritis (OA) have been reported, but the effects of different doses of SVF cells have not been examined. This study aimed to compare the short-term clinical and imaging outcomes of different doses of SVF cells for knee OA treatment. This study included 60 patients with knee OA who underwent intra-articular injection of SVF cells. The follow-up period was at least 12 months. Thirty patients received an intra-articular injection of 2.5×107 SVF cells (low-dose group), and the remaining 30 patients received an intra-articular injection of 5.0×107 SVF cells (high-dose group). Clinical evaluations were performed for the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Imaging evaluations, including the magnetic resonance imaging Osteoarthritis Knee Score (MOAKS) features (bone marrow lesions, cartilage defects, osteophytes, Hoffa's synovitis, and effusion synovitis), were also performed. All clinical and imaging evaluations were performed preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively and compared between the groups. In demographic data, no significant differences were found between the two groups. The total score of KOOS at 12 months postoperatively was significantly more favorable than the preoperative score in the high-dose groups. Pain and symptoms subscale scores of KOOS at 12 months postoperatively were significantly better in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group. The bone marrow lesions, Hoffa's synovitis, and effusion synovitis improved approximately 30-40% at 12 months postoperatively compared to baseline in both groups. However, there were no significant differences in imaging evaluations between the two groups. In conclusion, the pain and symptoms subscale scores of KOOS from baseline to 12 months postoperatively improved better in the high-dose group than in the low-dose group. Our findings suggest that intra-articular injection of SVF cells for knee OA is an innovative approach.

A small-scale re-evaluation of the efficacy of silver sulfadiazine for burns

Burns remain one of the most common injuries contributing to an increase in trauma incidence in hospitals, particularly in developing countries. Therefore, it is essential to identify the appropriate care for these wounds. Silver sulfadiazine has been widely used for the treatment of burns, but its efficacy has not been re-evaluated in recent years. Therefore, this small-scale study aimed at re-evaluating the use of silver sulfadiazine in patients with burns at a hospital in Magelang, Indonesia. A total of seven patients with second- and third-degree burns were involved and received silver sulfadiazine for 5 months (March to July 2020). Data on their wounds were collected three times and evaluated by using the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) observation method. Wound outcomes were evaluated using on the basis of wound healing by secondary intention. Silver sulfadiazine was found to be effective; 85.7% of the wound area showed granulation tissue, and 75-100% of the wound area showed epithelialisation. However, patients complained of pain during silver sulfadiazine treatment. Therefore, additional nursing interventions seem to be needed to manage burns.

Systematic Review of Stem-Cell-Based Therapy of Burn Wounds: Lessons Learned from Animal and Clinical Studies

Treatment of severe burn wounds presents a daunting medical challenge, and novel approaches promoting healing and reducing scarring are highly desirable. The application of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) has been suggested as a novel treatment. In this paper, we present systematic reviews of pre-clinical and clinical studies of MSC therapy for second- or third-degree thermal burn wounds. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, the PubMed and Embase databases were searched, and interventional studies of MSC therapy using rodent models (21 studies) or human burn patients (three studies) were included in the pre-clinical and clinical reviews, respectively, where both overall outcome and wound-healing-phase-specific methodologies and effects were assessed. The pre-clinical studies demonstrated a promising effect of the application of MSCs on several wound healing phases. The clinical studies also suggested that the MSC treatment was beneficial, particularly in the remodeling phase. However, the limited number of studies, their lack of homogeneity in study design, relatively high risk of bias, lack of reporting on mode of action (MOA), and discontinuity of evidence restrict the strength of these findings. This comprehensive review presents an overview of available methodologies to assess the MOA of MSC treatment for distinct wound healing phases. Furthermore, it includes a set of recommendations for the design of high-quality clinical studies that can determine the efficacy of MSCs as a therapy for burn wounds.

Efficacy assessment of mesenchymal stem cell transplantation for burn wounds in animals: a systematic review

Background

Clinically, severe burns remain one of the most challenging issues, but an ideal treatment is yet absent. Our purpose is to compare the efficacy of stem cell therapy in a preclinical model of burn wound healing.

Methods

Research reports on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for burn wound healing were retrieved from 5 databases: PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. The primary outcomes reported in this article include the un-healing rate of the wound area, the closure rate, and the wound area. Secondary outcomes included CD-31, vascular density, interleukin (IL)-10, thickness of eschar tissue, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and white blood cell count. Finally, a subgroup analysis was conducted to explore heterogeneity that potentially impacted the primary outcomes. A fixed-effects model with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was performed when no significant heterogeneity existed. Otherwise, a random-effects model was used. All data analysis was conducted by using Engauge Digitizer 10.8 and R software.

Results

Twenty eligible articles were finally included in the analysis. Stem cell therapy greatly improved the closure rate (2.00, 95% CI 0.52 to 3.48, p = 0.008) and compromised the wound area (− 2.36; 95% CI − 4.90 to 0.18; p = 0.069) rather than the un-healing rate of the wound area (− 11.10, 95% CI − 32.97 to 10.78, p = 0.320). Though p was 0.069, there was a trend toward shrinkage of the burn wound area after stem cell therapy. Vascular density (4.69; 95% CI 0.06 to 9.31; p = 0.047) and thickness of eschar tissue (6.56, 95% CI 1.15 to 11.98, p = 0.017) were also discovered to be significantly improved in the burn site of stem cell-treated animals. Moreover, we observed that animals in the stem cell group had an increased white blood cell count (0.84, 95% CI 0.01 to 1.66, p = 0.047) 5 days post treatment. Other indicators, such as VEGF (p = 0.381), CD-31 (p = 0.335) and IL-10 (p = 0.567), were not significantly impacted.

Conclusions

Despite limited data from preclinical trials, this meta-analysis suggests that stem cell therapy is curative in decreasing the burn wound area and provides some insights into future clinical studies of stem cell therapy for burns.

Hypothermically Stored Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Alginate Bandages Facilitate Use of Paracrine Molecules for Corneal Wound Healing

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (Ad-MSCs) may alleviate corneal injury through the secretion of therapeutic factors delivered at the injury site. We aimed to investigate the therapeutic factors secreted from hypothermically stored, alginate-encapsulated Ad-MSCs’ bandages in in vitro and in vivo corneal wounds. Ad-MSCs were encapsulated in 1.2% w/v alginate gels to form bandages and stored at 15 °C for 72 h before assessing cell viability and co-culture with corneal scratch wounds. Genes of interest, including HGF, TSG-6, and IGF were identified by qPCR and a human cytokine array kit used to profile the therapeutic factors secreted. In vivo, bandages were applied to adult male mice corneas following epithelial debridement. Bandages were shown to maintain Ad-MSCs viability during storage and able to indirectly improve corneal wound healing in vivo. Soluble protein concentration and paracrine factors such as TSG-6, HGF, IL-8, and MCP-1 release were greatest following hypothermic storage. In vivo, Ad-MSCs bandages-treated groups reduced immune cell infiltration when compared to untreated groups. In conclusion, bandages were shown to maintain Ad-MSCs ability to produce a cocktail of key therapeutic factors following storage and that these soluble factors can improve in vitro and in vivo corneal wound healing.

Adipose tissue-derived regenerative cells improve implantation of fertilized eggs in thin endometrium

Aim: Embryo implantation and subsequent pregnancy depends on endometrial thickness. To investigate potential fertility strategies for women with thin endometrium, we explored the efficacy of adipose tissue-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) on thin endometrium and embryo implantation in a mouse model. Materials & methods: ADRCs isolated from mouse subcutaneous fat were characterized by flow cytometry. Endometrium thickness, endometrial fibrosis, embryo implantation and angiogenesis factors were evaluated in uterine cavities of ethanol-induced thin endometrium mice with ADRC transplantation. Results: ADRCs included adipose-derived stem cells and some blood vessel component cells. ADRCs improved endometrial thickness, endometrial fibrosis and embryo implantation and augmented vascular endothelial growth factor expression in the mouse uterine. Conclusion: ADRCs may be a useful therapeutic strategy to improve fertility of women with thin endometrium.

Creation of rapid and reproducible burn in animal model with a newly developed burn device

BACKGROUND

The currently available practices for creation of burns in the animals are mostly manual which may lead to lack of uniform wound. There is a need to develop a suitable device that could reproduce and uniformly create burn wound in animal models without the procedural variations and human variability. Present study deals with development of a burn device which has been designed for creation of animal models for burn injury.

METHODS

The designed burn device comprises of two main components a heating metal stylus and the thermal sensor. Metal stylus consists of two parts with top part acts as handle and bottom part contains the aluminum probe which quickly heats and cool. The temperature monitoring sensor is attached adjacent to the tip of the probe. The temperature and timer are digitally displayed and can be adjusted as per the requirement. This device is tested for creation of uniform burn in the mice model. Animals were divided into different groups and thermal burn was generated for 60 °C, 80 °C & 100 °C respectively. Burn wound was generated dorsally on shaved skin with contact time of 40 s. Skin biopsies of burn wound were collected after 24 h for histopathology analysis to determine the burn characteristics. Blood vessels damage in the skin was detected by transillumination and digital segmentation using VesSeg tool.

RESULTS

The device is able to deliver the different temperature to the animal skin. After reaching the 60 °C, 80 °C & 100 °C for 40 s respectively electronic relays shut down the device. The different groups of the animals showed significant difference in burn morphology in temperature dependent manner. Non significant variation in the burn area of different experimental groups animals was observed. All three zones vis-a-vis coagulation, stasis and hyperaemia were observed at 100 °C whereas found indistinct in 80 °C and 60 °C treated groups. Histopathological studies clearly demonstrated the differences in damage induction in stratum corneum, epidermis, dermis, collagen and hair follicle at selected thermal points. Severe blood vessels damage was observed only at 100 °C. The vascular perfusion was recorded 14% and 57% higher in 60 °C and 80 °C treated animals respectively when compared to control animals. However, at 100 °C due to highest vessel damage the perfusion was reduced to 53% compared to control.

CONCLUSION

Present study demonstrates that the device is able to generate precise and uniform burn wound in mice model. The device may be useful for burn related studies and validation of burn wound care products.

Evaluation of burn wound healing activity of novel fusidic acid loaded microemulsion based gel in male Wistar albino rats

The objective of the present research was to examine the possible usage of microemulsion based gel for fusidic acid (FA) dermal application as burn wound treatment. During the preparation of microemulsion, ethyl oleate as oil phase, tween 80 as a surfactant, ethanol as co-surfactant, water as aqueous phase were used. The prepared microemulsions were evaluated for clarity, pH, viscosity and FA content. Moreover, stability, sterility, antibacterial activity, in vitro release of the formulations were also evaluated. The results showed that the FA loaded microemulsion and microemulsion based gel formation and characteristics were related to many parameters of the components. The performed optimized microemulsion-based gel showed good stability over a period of 3 months. The antibacterial activity of microemulsion-based gel was found to be comparable with marketed cream. RAW 264.7 macrophages were used to determine cell viability (MTT assay) and nitric oxide production. MBG and FA-MBG significantly inhibit the production of the inflammatory mediator NO in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The wound healing property was evaluated by histopathological examination and by measuring the wound contraction. The % of wound area in rats treated with FA (2%) loaded microemulsion based gel ranged from 69.30% to 41.39% in the period from 3 to 10 days. In conclusion, FA loaded microemulsion based gel could be offered as encouraging strategy as dermal systems for the burn wound treatment.

Deep-supercooling for extended preservation of adipose-derived stem cells

Cell preservation is an enabling technology for widespread distribution and applications of mammalian cells. Traditional cryopreservation via slow-freezing or vitrification provides long-term storage but requires cytotoxic cryoprotectants (CPA) and tedious CPA loading/unloading, cooling, and recovering procedures. Hypothermic storage around 0-4 °C is an alternative method but only works for a short period due to its high storage temperatures. Here, we report on the deep-supercooling (DSC) preservation of human adipose-derived stem cells at deep subzero temperatures without freezing for extended storage. Enabled by surface sealing with an immiscible oil phase, cell suspension can be preserved in a liquid state at -13 °C and -16 °C for 7 days with high cell viability, retention of stemness, attachment, and multilineage differentiation capacities. These results demonstrate that DSC is an improved short-term preservation approach to provide off-the-shelf cell sources for booming cell-based medicine and bioengineering.