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Zhong Z, Wang J, Tian J, Deng X, Balayan A, Sun Y, Xiang Y, Guan J, Schimelman J, Hwang H, You S, Wu X, Ma C, Shi X, Yao E, Deng SX, Chen S. Rapid 3D bioprinting of a multicellular model recapitulating pterygium microenvironment. Biomaterials 2022; 282:121391. [PMID: 35101743 PMCID: PMC10162446 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Pterygium is an ocular surface disorder with high prevalence that can lead to vision impairment. As a pathological outgrowth of conjunctiva, pterygium involves neovascularization and chronic inflammation. Here, we developed a 3D multicellular in vitro pterygium model using a digital light processing (DLP)-based 3D bioprinting platform with human conjunctival stem cells (hCjSCs). A novel feeder-free culture system was adopted and efficiently expanded the primary hCjSCs with homogeneity, stemness and differentiation potency. The DLP-based 3D bioprinting method was able to fabricate hydrogel scaffolds that support the viability and biological integrity of the encapsulated hCjSCs. The bioprinted 3D pterygium model consisted of hCjSCs, immune cells, and vascular cells to recapitulate the disease microenvironment. Transcriptomic analysis using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) identified a distinct profile correlated to inflammation response, angiogenesis, and epithelial mesenchymal transition in the bioprinted 3D pterygium model. In addition, the pterygium signatures and disease relevance of the bioprinted model were validated with the public RNA-seq data from patient-derived pterygium tissues. By integrating the stem cell technology with 3D bioprinting, this is the first reported 3D in vitro disease model for pterygium that can be utilized for future studies towards personalized medicine and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Zhong
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jing Tian
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Xiaoqian Deng
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Alis Balayan
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yazhi Sun
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yi Xiang
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jiaao Guan
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jacob Schimelman
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Henry Hwang
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Shangting You
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Xiaokang Wu
- School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Chao Ma
- Stein Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Xiaoao Shi
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Emmie Yao
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Sophie X Deng
- Stein Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Shaochen Chen
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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Abstract
PURPOSE The p63 gene has been identified as a marker of epithelial stem cells. Because pterygium may arise through an expansion of the proliferative capacity of the conjunctiva, we sought to document the expression of p63 in normal conjunctiva and pterygium specimens. METHODS Immunostaining for p63 expression was performed on 10 pairs of pterygium and normal conjunctiva using a monoclonal antibody directed against human p63. RESULTS Immunopositive reactions were seen in all samples. Levels of p63-positive cells were not statistically different between pterygium and normal conjunctivae (P = 0.7). CONCLUSION These results strongly support previous studies that indicate that pterygium arises as a result of incorrect control of cellular apoptosis rather than from an increase in proliferative capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pornpilas Sakoonwatanyoo
- Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Mahidol University, Salaya Campus, Nakorn Pathom, Thailand
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