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Huang G, Shen H, Xu K, Shen Y, Jiale Jin, Chu G, Xing H, Feng Z, Wang Y. Single-Cell Microgel Encapsulation Improves the Therapeutic Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Treating Intervertebral Disc Degeneration via Inhibiting Pyroptosis. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0311. [PMID: 38371273 PMCID: PMC10871001 DOI: 10.34133/research.0311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
While mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) shows great potentials in treating intervertebral disc degeneration, most MSC die soon after intradiscal transplantation, resulting in inferior therapeutic efficacy. Currently, bulk hydrogels are the common solution to improve MSC survival in tissues, although hydrogel encapsulation impairs MSC migration and disrupts extracellular microenvironment. Cell hydrogel encapsulation has been proposed to overcome the limitation of traditional bulk hydrogels, yet this technique has not been used in treating disc degeneration. Using a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, we fabricated alginate and gelatin microgel to encapsulate individual MSC for treating disc degeneration. The small size of microgel allowed intradiscal injection of coated MSC. We demonstrated that pyroptosis was involved in MSC death under oxidative stress stimulation, and microgel coating suppressed pyroptosis activation by maintaining mitochondria homeostasis. Microgel coating protected MSC in the harsh disc microenvironment, while retaining vital cellular functions such as migration, proliferation, and differentiation. In a rat model of disc degeneration, coated MSC exhibits prolonged retention in the disc and better efficacy of attenuating disc degeneration, as compared with bare MSC treatment alone. Further, microgel-coated MSC exhibited improved therapeutic effects in treating disc degeneration via suppressing the activation of pyroptosis in the disc. For the first time, microgel-encapsulated MSC was used to treat disc degeneration and obtain encouraging outcomes. The developed biocompatible single-cell hydrogel is an effective strategy to protect MSC and maintain cellular functions and may be an efficacious approach to improving the efficacy of MSC therapy in treating disc degeneration. The objective of this study is to improve the efficacy of cell therapy for treating disc degeneration using single-cell hydrogel encapsulation and further to understand related cytoprotective mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanrui Huang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital,
Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Haotian Shen
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital,
Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Kaiwang Xu
- Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yifan Shen
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital,
Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Jiale Jin
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital,
Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Guangyu Chu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital,
Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Hongyuan Xing
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital,
Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Zhiyun Feng
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital,
Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital,
Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
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Khalid S, Ekram S, Ramzan F, Salim A, Khan I. Co-regulation of Sox9 and TGFβ1 transcription factors in mesenchymal stem cells regenerated the intervertebral disc degeneration. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1127303. [PMID: 37007782 PMCID: PMC10063891 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1127303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundIntervertebral disc (IVD) shows aging and degenerative changes earlier than any other body connective tissue. Its repair and regeneration provide a considerable challenge in regenerative medicine due to its high degree of infrastructure and mechanical complexity. Mesenchymal stem cells, due to their tissue resurfacing potential, represent many explanatory pathways to regenerate a tissue breakdown.MethodsThis study was undertaken to evaluate the co-regulation of Sox9 and TGFβ1 in differentiating human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSC) into chondrocytes. The combinatorial impact of Sox9 and TGFβ1 on hUC-MSCs was examined in vitro by gene expression and immunocytochemical staining. In in vivo, an animal model of IVD degeneration was established under a fluoroscopic guided system through needle puncture of the caudal disc. Normal and transfected MSCs were transplanted. Oxidative stress, pain, and inflammatory markers were evaluated by qPCR. Disc height index (DHI), water content, and gag content were analyzed. Histological examinations were performed to evaluate the degree of regeneration.ResultshUC-MSC transfected with Sox9+TGFβ1 showed a noticeable morphological appearance of a chondrocyte, and highly expressed chondrogenic markers (aggrecan, Sox9, TGFβ1, TGFβ2, and type II collagens) after transfection. Histological observation demonstrated that cartilage regeneration, extracellular matrix synthesis, and collagen remodeling were significant upon staining with H&E, Alcian blue, and Masson's trichrome stain on day 14. Additionally, oxidative stress, pain, and inflammatory markers were positively downregulated in the animals transplanted with Sox9 and TGFβ1 transfected MSCs.ConclusionThese findings indicate that the combinatorial effect of Sox9 and TGFβ1 substantially accelerates the chondrogenesis in hUC-MSCs. Cartilage regeneration and matrix synthesis were significantly enhanced. Therefore, a synergistic effect of Sox9 and TGFβ1 could be an immense therapeutic combination in the tissue engineering of cartilaginous joint bio-prostheses and a novel candidate for cartilage stabilization.
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Arul MR, Zhang C, Alahmadi I, Moss IL, Banasavadi-Siddegowda YK, Abdulmalik S, Illien-Junger S, Kumbar SG. Novel Injectable Fluorescent Polymeric Nanocarriers for Intervertebral Disc Application. J Funct Biomater 2023; 14:52. [PMID: 36826851 PMCID: PMC9961171 DOI: 10.3390/jfb14020052] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Damage to intervertebral discs (IVD) can lead to chronic pain and disability, and no current treatments can fully restore their function. Some non-surgical treatments have shown promise; however, these approaches are generally limited by burst release and poor localization of diverse molecules. In this proof-of-concept study, we developed a nanoparticle (NP) delivery system to efficiently deliver high- and low-solubility drug molecules. Nanoparticles of cellulose acetate and polycaprolactone-polyethylene glycol conjugated with 1-oxo-1H-pyrido [2,1-b][1,3]benzoxazole-3-carboxylic acid (PBC), a novel fluorescent dye, were prepared by the oil-in-water emulsion. Two drugs, a water insoluble indomethacin (IND) and a water soluble 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), were used to study their release patterns. Electron microscopy confirmed the spherical nature and rough surface of nanoparticles. The particle size analysis revealed a hydrodynamic radius ranging ~150-162 nm based on dynamic light scattering. Zeta potential increased with PBC conjugation implying their enhanced stability. IND encapsulation efficiency was almost 3-fold higher than 4-AP, with release lasting up to 4 days, signifying enhanced solubility, while the release of 4-AP continued for up to 7 days. Nanoparticles and their drug formulations did not show any apparent cytotoxicity and were taken up by human IVD nucleus pulposus cells. When injected into coccygeal mouse IVDs in vivo, the nanoparticles remained within the nucleus pulposus cells and the injection site of the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus of the IVD. These fluorescent nano-formulations may serve as a platform technology to deliver therapeutic agents to IVDs and other tissues that require localized drug injections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R. Arul
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Changli Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA
| | - Ibtihal Alahmadi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Isaac L. Moss
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | | | - Sama Abdulmalik
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | | | - Sangamesh G. Kumbar
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Connecticut Health, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
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Gantenbein B, Sun Z, Liu Z, Samartzis D. Editorial: Immunological imbalance: What is its role in intervertebral disc degeneration? Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1196377. [PMID: 37152285 PMCID: PMC10157150 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1196377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Gantenbein
- Tissue Engineering for Orthopaedics and Mechanobiology, Bone and Joint Program, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR) of the Medical Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Medical Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Benjamin Gantenbein,
| | - Zhen Sun
- Department of Orthopaedics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Zhongyang Liu
- Department of Orthopaedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Dino Samartzis
- Rush Medical College, Rush University, Chicago, IL, United States
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Zamboni F, Ren G, Culebras M, O'Driscoll J, O'Dwyer J, Ryan EJ, Collins MN. Curcumin encapsulated polylactic acid nanoparticles embedded in alginate/gelatin bioinks for in situ immunoregulation: Characterization and biological assessment. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 221:1218-1227. [PMID: 36087752 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Curcumin is a known naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agent derived from turmeric, and it is commonly used as a herbal food supplement. Here, in order to overcome the inherent hydrophobicity of curcumin (Cur), polylactic acid (PLA) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesised using a solvent evaporation, and an oil-in-water emulsion method used to encapsulate curcumin. Polymeric NPs also offer the ability to control rate of drug release. The newly synthesised NPs were analysed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), where results show the NPs range from 50 to 250 nm. NPs containing graded amounts of curcumin (0 %, 0.5 %, and 2 %) were added to cultures of NIH3T3 fibroblast cells for cytotoxicity evaluation using the Alamar Blue assay. Then, the curcumin NPs were incorporated into an alginate/gelatin solution, prior to crosslinking using a calcium chloride solution (200 nM). These hydrogels were then characterised with respect to their chemical, mechanical and rheological properties. Following hydrogel optimization, hydrogels loaded with NP containing 2 % curcumin were selected as a candidate as a bioink for three-dimensional (3D) printing. The biological assessment for these bioinks/hydrogels were conducted using THP-1 cells, a human monocytic cell line. Cell viability and immunomodulation were evaluated using lactate dehydrogenase (LHD) and a tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assay, respectively. Results show that the hydrogels were cytocompatible and supressed the production of TNF-α. These bioactive hydrogels are printable, supress immune cell activation and inflammation showing immense potential for the fabrication of tissue engineering constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Zamboni
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland; Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland
| | - Guang Ren
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland
| | - Mario Culebras
- Institute of Material Science, University of Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Jack O'Dwyer
- School of Engineering, University of Limerick, Ireland
| | - Elizabeth J Ryan
- Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, Ireland
| | - Maurice N Collins
- Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland; Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Ireland; SFI AMBER, University of Limerick, Ireland.
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Vasquez-Alvarez M, Zapata U, Casado FL. Development of an Intervertebral Disc for Cervical Spondylosis Composed of Seeded Biomaterials. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2022; 2022:3931-3934. [PMID: 36086263 DOI: 10.1109/embc48229.2022.9871418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Most of the current artificial disc prosthesis presented a restricted range of motion. Here we propose the design of a novel intervertebral disc composed of carbon fiber, hyaluronic methylcellulose hydrogel loaded with mesenchymal stem cells and polycaprolactone. The prosthesis was biomechanically evaluated under two static physiological conditions to study the mechanical influence of the material on the device. The results obtained in the simulations showed a not only a congruent behavior with preclinical condition, but also that the proposed materials met the desired biomechanical properties Clinical Relevance- Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative disease of the human spine that causes wear and tear of the cervical intervertebral discs. Nowadays, the proposed surgical solutions do not allow fully recovery of normal movement because the surgical intervention do not emulate the natural range of motion, may lack shock absorption mechanisms, show signs of fatigue over time affecting its durability, and do not have good bone adhesion. Therefore, hypermobility and problems of heterotopic ossification may restrict the range of motion.
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Integrin and syndecan binding peptide-conjugated alginate hydrogel for modulation of nucleus pulposus cell phenotype. Biomaterials 2021; 277:121113. [PMID: 34492582 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Biomaterial based strategies have been widely explored to preserve and restore the juvenile phenotype of cells of the nucleus pulposus (NP) in degenerated intervertebral discs (IVD). With aging and maturation, NP cells lose their ability to produce necessary extracellular matrix and proteoglycans, accelerating disc degeneration. Previous studies have shown that integrin or syndecan binding peptide motifs from laminin can induce NP cells from degenerative human discs to re-express juvenile NP-specific cell phenotype and biosynthetic activity. Here, we engineered alginate hydrogels to present integrin- and syndecan-binding peptides alone or in combination (cyclic RGD and AG73, respectively) to introduce bioactive features into the alginate gels. We demonstrated human NP cells cultured upon and within alginate hydrogels presented with cRGD and AG73 peptides exhibited higher cell viability, biosynthetic activity, and NP-specific protein expression over alginate alone. Moreover, the combination of the two peptide motifs elicited markers of the NP-specific cell phenotype, including N-Cadherin, despite differences in cell morphology and multicellular cluster formation between 2D and 3D cultures. These results represent a promising step toward understanding how distinct adhesive peptides can be combined to guide NP cell fate. In the future, these insights may be useful to rationally design hydrogels for NP cell-transplantation based therapies for IVD degeneration.
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Friedmann A, Baertel A, Schmitt C, Ludtka C, Milosevic J, Meisel HJ, Goehre F, Schwan S. Intervertebral Disc Regeneration Injection of a Cell-Loaded Collagen Hydrogel in a Sheep Model. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4248. [PMID: 33921913 PMCID: PMC8072963 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Degenerated intervertebral discs (IVDs) were treated with autologous adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) loaded into an injectable collagen scaffold in a sheep model to investigate the implant's therapeutic potential regarding the progression of degeneration of previously damaged discs. In this study, 18 merino sheep were subjected to a 3-step minimally invasive injury and treatment model, which consisted of surgically induced disc degeneration, treatment of IVDs with an ASC-loaded collagen hydrogel 6 weeks post-operatively, and assessment of the implant's influence on degenerative tissue changes after 6 and 12 months of grazing. Autologous ASCs were extracted from subcutaneous adipose tissue and cultivated in vitro. At the end of the experiment, disc heights were determined by µ-CT measurements and morphological tissue changes were histologically examined.Histological investigations show that, after treatment with the ASC-loaded collagen hydrogel implant, degeneration-specific features were observed less frequently. Quantitative studies of the degree of degeneration did not demonstrate a significant influence on potential tissue regeneration with treatment. Regarding disc height analysis, at both 6 and 12 months after treatment with the ASC-loaded collagen hydrogel implant a stabilization of the disc height can be seen. A complete restoration of the intervertebral disc heights however could not be achieved.The reported injection procedure describes in a preclinical model a translational therapeutic approach for degenerative disc diseases based on adipose-derived stem cells in a collagen hydrogel scaffold. Further investigations are planned with the use of a different injectable scaffold material using the same test model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Friedmann
- Department of Biological and Macromolecular Materials, Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS, 06120 Halle, Germany; (A.F.); (C.S.)
| | - Andre Baertel
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Christine Schmitt
- Department of Biological and Macromolecular Materials, Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS, 06120 Halle, Germany; (A.F.); (C.S.)
- Department for Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Martin Luther University, Halle Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Christopher Ludtka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;
| | | | - Hans-Joerg Meisel
- Department of Neurosurgery, BG Klinikum Bergmannstrost, 06110 Halle, Germany; (H.-J.M.); (F.G.)
| | - Felix Goehre
- Department of Neurosurgery, BG Klinikum Bergmannstrost, 06110 Halle, Germany; (H.-J.M.); (F.G.)
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00260 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stefan Schwan
- Department of Biological and Macromolecular Materials, Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS, 06120 Halle, Germany; (A.F.); (C.S.)
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