Promotion of adipose stem cell transplantation using GelMA hydrogel reinforced by PLCL/ADM short nanofibers

• Published in: Biomedical materials (Bristol) Vol. 18; no. 6; pp. 65003 - 65017
• Main Authors: Ning, Xuchao, Liu, Na, Sun, Tiancai, You, Yong, Luo, Yanan, Kang, Enhao, Chen, Zhenyu, Wang, Yuanfei, Ren, Jizhen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.11.2023
• Subjects: acellular dermal matrix; adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells; cell transplantation; gelatin methacryloyl; short nanofiber
• ISSN: 1748-6041; 1748-605X
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-605X/acf551

Abstract Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) show poor survival after transplantation, limiting their clinical application. In this study, a series of poly(l-lactide-co- ϵ -caprolactone) (PLCL)/acellular dermal matrix (ADM) nanofiber scaffolds with different proportions were prepared by electrospinning. By studying their morphology, hydrophilicity, tensile mechanics, and biocompatibility, PLCL/ADM nanofiber scaffolds with the best composition ratio (PLCL:ADM = 7:3) were selected to prepare short nanofibers. And based on this, injectable gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel loaded with PLCL/ADM short nanofibers (GelMA-Fibers) was constructed as a transplantation vector of ADSCs. ADSCs and GelMA-Fibers were co-cultured, and the optimal loading concentration of PLCL/ADM nanofibers was investigated by cell proliferation assay, live/dead cell staining, and cytoskeleton staining in vitro. In vivo investigations were also performed by H&E staining, Oil red O staining, and TUNEL staining, and the survival and apoptosis rates of ADSCs transplanted in vivo were analyzed. It was demonstrated that GelMA-Fibers could effectively promote the proliferation of ADSCs in vitro . Most importantly, GelMA-Fibers increased the survival rate of ADSCs transplantation and decreased their apoptosis rate within 14 d. In conclusion, the constructed GelMA-Fibers would provide new ideas and options for stem cell tissue engineering and stem cell-based clinical therapies.