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Pien N, Di Francesco D, Copes F, Bartolf-Kopp M, Chausse V, Meeremans M, Pegueroles M, Jüngst T, De Schauwer C, Boccafoschi F, Dubruel P, Van Vlierberghe S, Mantovani D. Polymeric reinforcements for cellularized collagen-based vascular wall models: influence of the scaffold architecture on the mechanical and biological properties. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1285565. [PMID: 38053846 PMCID: PMC10694796 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1285565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A previously developed cellularized collagen-based vascular wall model showed promising results in mimicking the biological properties of a native vessel but lacked appropriate mechanical properties. In this work, we aim to improve this collagen-based model by reinforcing it using a tubular polymeric (reinforcement) scaffold. The polymeric reinforcements were fabricated exploiting commercial poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL), a polymer already used to fabricate other FDA-approved and commercially available devices serving medical applications, through 1) solution electrospinning (SES), 2) 3D printing (3DP) and 3) melt electrowriting (MEW). The non-reinforced cellularized collagen-based model was used as a reference (COL). The effect of the scaffold's architecture on the resulting mechanical and biological properties of the reinforced collagen-based model were evaluated. SEM imaging showed the differences in scaffolds' architecture (fiber alignment, fiber diameter and pore size) at both the micro- and the macrolevel. The polymeric scaffold led to significantly improved mechanical properties for the reinforced collagen-based model (initial elastic moduli of 382.05 ± 132.01 kPa, 100.59 ± 31.15 kPa and 245.78 ± 33.54 kPa, respectively for SES, 3DP and MEW at day 7 of maturation) compared to the non-reinforced collagen-based model (16.63 ± 5.69 kPa). Moreover, on day 7, the developed collagen gels showed stresses (for strains between 20% and 55%) in the range of [5-15] kPa for COL, [80-350] kPa for SES, [20-70] kPa for 3DP and [100-190] kPa for MEW. In addition to the effect on the resulting mechanical properties, the polymeric tubes' architecture influenced cell behavior, in terms of proliferation and attachment, along with collagen gel compaction and extracellular matrix protein expression. The MEW reinforcement resulted in a collagen gel compaction similar to the COL reference, whereas 3DP and SES led to thinner and longer collagen gels. Overall, it can be concluded that 1) the selected processing technique influences the scaffolds' architecture, which in turn influences the resulting mechanical and biological properties, and 2) the incorporation of a polymeric reinforcement leads to mechanical properties closely matching those of native arteries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nele Pien
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Canada Research Chair Tier I for the Innovation in Surgery, Department of Min-Met-Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Quebec Research Center, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Dalila Di Francesco
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Canada Research Chair Tier I for the Innovation in Surgery, Department of Min-Met-Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Quebec Research Center, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Laboratory of Human Anatomy, Department of Health Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”, Novara, Italy
| | - Francesco Copes
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Canada Research Chair Tier I for the Innovation in Surgery, Department of Min-Met-Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Quebec Research Center, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Michael Bartolf-Kopp
- Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, Institute of Biofabrication and Functional Materials, University of Würzburg and KeyLab Polymers for Medicine of the Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Victor Chausse
- Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marguerite Meeremans
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Marta Pegueroles
- Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tomasz Jüngst
- Department of Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry, Institute of Biofabrication and Functional Materials, University of Würzburg and KeyLab Polymers for Medicine of the Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), Würzburg, Germany
| | - Catharina De Schauwer
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Translational Physiology, Infectiology and Public Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Francesca Boccafoschi
- Laboratory of Human Anatomy, Department of Health Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro”, Novara, Italy
| | - Peter Dubruel
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sandra Van Vlierberghe
- Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Diego Mantovani
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Canada Research Chair Tier I for the Innovation in Surgery, Department of Min-Met-Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, CHU de Quebec Research Center, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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Pisani S, Mauri V, Negrello E, Mauramati S, Alaimo G, Auricchio F, Benazzo M, Dorati R, Genta I, Conti B, Ferretti VV, De Silvestri A, Pietrabissa A, Marconi S. Assessment of different manufacturing techniques for the production of bioartificial scaffolds as soft organ transplant substitutes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1186351. [PMID: 37441194 PMCID: PMC10333585 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1186351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The problem of organs' shortage for transplantation is widely known: different manufacturing techniques such as Solvent casting, Electrospinning and 3D Printing were considered to produce bioartificial scaffolds for tissue engineering purposes and possible transplantation substitutes. The advantages of manufacturing techniques' combination to develop hybrid scaffolds with increased performing properties was also evaluated. Methods: Scaffolds were produced using poly-L-lactide-co-caprolactone (PLA-PCL) copolymer and characterized for their morphological, biological, and mechanical features. Results: Hybrid scaffolds showed the best properties in terms of viability (>100%) and cell adhesion. Furthermore, their mechanical properties were found to be comparable with the reference values for soft tissues (range 1-10 MPa). Discussion: The created hybrid scaffolds pave the way for the future development of more complex systems capable of supporting, from a morphological, mechanical, and biological standpoint, the physiological needs of the tissues/organs to be transplanted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pisani
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Valeria Mauri
- SC General Surgery 2, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Erika Negrello
- SC General Surgery 2, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Simone Mauramati
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Gianluca Alaimo
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Ferdinando Auricchio
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Marco Benazzo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Rossella Dorati
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Ida Genta
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Bice Conti
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Annalisa De Silvestri
- SSD Biostatistica e Clinical Trial Center, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Andrea Pietrabissa
- SC General Surgery 2, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Surgery, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stefania Marconi
- Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
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