Transcriptomic Changes toward Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on 3D-Printed GelMA/CNC Hydrogel under Pulsatile Pressure Environment

• Published in: Advanced healthcare materials Vol. 12; no. 11; p. e2202163
• Main Authors: Ganguly, Keya, Dutta, Sayan Deb, Randhawa, Aayushi, Patel, Dinesh K, Patil, Tejal V, Lim, Ki-Taek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.04.2023
• Subjects: Cell Differentiation; Cells, Cultured; Humans; Hydrogels - chemistry; Mechanotransduction, Cellular; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Osteogenesis; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Transcriptome; soft hydrogels; stem cells; osteogenesis; pulsatile pressure stimulation; transcriptome
• ISSN: 2192-2659
• DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202202163

Biomimetic soft hydrogels used in bone tissue engineering frequently produce unsatisfactory outcomes. Here, it is investigated how human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) differentiated into early osteoblasts on remarkably soft 3D hydrogel (70 ± 0.00049 Pa). Specifically, hBMSCs seeded onto cellulose nanocrystals incorporated methacrylate gelatin hydrogels are subjected to pulsatile pressure stimulation (PPS) of 5-20 kPa for 7 days. The PPS stimulates cellular processes such as mechanotransduction, cytoskeletal distribution, prohibition of oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis, osteogenic marker gene expression, and osteo-specific cytokine secretions in hBMSCs on soft substrates. The involvement of Piezo 1 is the main ion channel involved in mechanotransduction. Additionally, RNA-sequencing results reveal differential gene expression concerning osteogenic differentiation, bone mineralization, ion channel activity, and focal adhesion. These findings suggest a practical and highly scalable method for promoting stem cell commitment to osteogenesis on soft matrices for clinical reconstruction.