Myoblast-Acellular Skeletal Muscle Matrix Constructs Guarantee a Long-Term Repair of Experimental Full-Thickness Abdominal Wall Defects

• Published in: Tissue engineering Vol. 12; no. 7; pp. 1929 - 1936
• Main Authors: Coppi, Paolo De, Bellini, Silvia, Conconi, Maria Teresa, Sabatti, Morena, Simonato, Enea, Gamba, Pier Giorgio, Nussdorfer, Gastone Giovanni, Parnigotto, Pier Paolo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mary Ann Liebert, Inc 01.07.2006
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal Muscles - cytology; Abdominal Muscles - injuries; Abdominal Muscles - metabolism; Animals; Biocompatible Materials; Bioprosthesis; Extracellular Matrix; Female; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - metabolism; Implants, Experimental; Long term; Male; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - cytology; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - transplantation; Muscular system; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew; Rodents; Sex-Determining Region Y Protein - biosynthesis; Time Factors; Tissue Engineering; Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; Wound Healing
• ISSN: 1076-3279; 1557-8690
• DOI: 10.1089/ten.2006.12.1929

To obtain a valuable treatment of congenital muscle defect, cell-matrix constructs composed of satellite cell-derived myoblasts (XY karyotype) seeded on muscle acellular matrices were used to repair a previously created full-thickness defect of abdominal wall of 18 1-month-old female Lewis rats. Acellular abdominal matrices, obtained by a detergent-enzymatic method, were positive for both basic fibroblast growth factor and transforming growth factor-β, and were able to support in vitro cell adhesion. All animals survived the surgery, without signs of infection or implant rejection, and were humanely killed at 1, 3, or 9 months after surgery. The implants appeared well preserved, were integrated in the host tissue, and maintained their original dimension and thickness until 9 months. Vesicular acetylcholine transporter was expressed on the surface of muscle fibers from 1 month postsurgery. Finally, implanted male myoblasts were present inside the patches until 9 months, as demonstrated by the expression of SrY mRNA and by the presence of Y chromosome probe signal. These results allow us to conclude that cell-matrix constructs could represent a promising approach to the repair of muscle defects, because they are repopulated in vivo by skeletal muscle cells and nervous elements and maintain their structural integrity over the long term.