Zhu S, Yu C, Liu N, Zhao M, Chen Z, Liu J, Li G, Huang H, Guo H, Sun T, Chen J, Zhuang J, Zhu P. Injectable conductive gelatin methacrylate / oxidized dextran hydrogel encapsulating umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells for myocardial infarction treatment.
Bioact Mater 2022;
13:119-134. [PMID:
35224296 PMCID:
PMC8844712 DOI:
10.1016/j.bioactmat.2021.11.011]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) transplantation has been proposed as a promising treatment modality for myocardial infarction (MI), but the low retention rate remains a considerable challenge. Injectable natural polymer hydrogels with conductivity ability are highly desirable as cell delivery vehicles to repair infarct myocardium and restore the cardiac function. In this work, we developed a hydrogel system based on gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) and oxidized dextran (ODEX) as cell delivery vehicles for MI. And dopamine could be used as a reductant of graphene oxide (GO) to form reductive GO (rGO). By adjusting the amount of rGO, the conductivity of hydrogels with 0.5 mg/mL rGO concentration (≈10−4 S/cm) was similar to that of natural heart tissue. In vitro cell experiments showed that the prepared hydrogels had excellent biocompatibility and cell delivery ability of UCMSCs. More importantly, GelMA-O5/rGO hydrogel could promote UCMSCs growth and proliferation, improve the myocardial differentiation ability of UCMSCs, and up-regulate the expression of cTnI and Cx43. Further in vivo experiments demonstrated that GelMA-O5/rGO/UCMSCs Hydrogel could significantly improve the ejection fraction (EF) of rats and significantly reduce myocardial infarct area compared to PBS group, promote the survival of UCMSCs, enhance the expression level of cTnI and Cx43, and decrease the expression level of caspase-3. The findings of this study suggested that the injectable conductive GelMA-O5/rGO hydrogel encapsulating UCMSCs could improve damaged myocardial tissue and reconstruct myocardial function, which will be a promising therapeutic strategy for cardiac repair.
Conducting interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels were synthesized for myocardial infarction treatment.
The conductivity of hydrogel with 0.5 mg/mL rGO concentration (≈10−4 S/cm) was similar to that of natural heart tissue.
The hydrogel could promote the growth and proliferation of UCMSCs, and improve the myocardial differentiation ability of UCMSCs.
The hydrogel could reduce infarct size and cardiac fibrosis in the infarct zone, increase ventricular ejection fraction.
The hydrogel could promote the survival of UCMSCs, up-regulate the expression level of cTnI and Cx43, down-regulate the expression level of caspase-3.
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