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Snyder Y, Mann FAT, Middleton J, Murashita T, Carney J, Bianco RW, Jana S. Non-immune factors cause prolonged myofibroblast phenotype in implanted synthetic heart valve scaffolds. APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY 2024; 39:102323. [PMID: 39131741 PMCID: PMC11308761 DOI: 10.1016/j.apmt.2024.102323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
The clinical application of heart valve scaffolds is hindered by complications associated with the activation of valvular interstitial cell-like (VIC-like) cells and their transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts. This study aimed to examine several molecular pathway(s) that may trigger the overactive myofibroblast phenotypes in the implanted scaffolds. So, we investigated the influence of three molecular pathways - macrophage-induced inflammation, the TGF-β1-SMAD2, and WNT/β-catenin β on VIC-like cells during tissue engineering of heart valve scaffolds. We implanted electrospun heart valve scaffolds in adult sheep for up to 6 months in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and analyzed biomolecular (gene and protein) expression associated with the above three pathways by the scaffold infiltrating cells. The results showed a gradual increase in gene and protein expression of markers related to the activation of VIC-like cells and the myofibroblast phenotypes over 6 months of scaffold implantation. Conversely, there was a gradual increase in macrophage activity for the first three months after scaffold implantation. However, a decrease in macrophage activity from three to six months of scaffold tissue engineering suggested that immunological signal factors were not the primary cause of myofibroblast phenotype. Similarly, the gene and protein expression of factors associated with the TGF-β1-SMAD2 pathway in the cells increased in the first three months but declined in the next three months. Contrastingly, the gene and protein expression of factors associated with the WNT/β-catenin pathway increased significantly over the six-month study. Thus, the WNT/β-catenin pathway could be the predominant mechanism in activating VIC-like cells and subsequent myofibroblast phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuriy Snyder
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Missouri, 1406 Rollins Street, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - FA Tony Mann
- Veterinary Health Center, University of Missouri, 900 East Campus Drive, Columbia, MO 65211-0001
| | - John Middleton
- Veterinary Health Center, University of Missouri, 900 East Campus Drive, Columbia, MO 65211-0001
| | - Takashi Murashita
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, One Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO 65212
| | - John Carney
- Experimental Surgical Services, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Richard W. Bianco
- Experimental Surgical Services, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Soumen Jana
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Missouri, 1406 Rollins Street, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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van Velthoven MJJ, Gudde AN, Arendsen E, Roovers JP, Guler Z, Oosterwijk E, Kouwer PHJ. Growth Factor Immobilization to Synthetic Hydrogels: Bioactive bFGF-Functionalized Polyisocyanide Hydrogels. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2301109. [PMID: 37526214 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202301109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
With its involvement in cell proliferation, migration and differentiation basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has great potential for tissue engineering purposes. So far, however, clinical translation of soluble bFGF-based therapies is unsuccessful, because the required effective doses are often supraphysiological, which may cause adverse effects. An effective solution is growth factor immobilization, whereby bFGF retains its bioactivity at increased efficacy. Studied carriers include films, solid scaffolds, and particles, as well as natural and synthetic hydrogels. However, these synthetic hydrogels poorly resemble the characteristics of the native extracellular matrix (ECM). In this work, bFGF is covalently conjugated to the synthetic, but highly biocompatible, polyisocyanide-based hydrogel (PIC-bFGF), which closely mimics the architecture and mechanical properties of the ECM. The growth factor conjugation protocol is straightforward and readily extrapolated to other growth factors or proteins. The PIC-bFGF hydrogel shows a prolonged bioactivity up to 4 weeks although no clear effects on the ECM metabolism are observed. Beyond the future potential of the PIC-bFGF hydrogel toward various tissue engineering applications, this work underlines that simple biological conjugation procedures are a powerful strategy to induce additional bioactivity in 3D synthetic cell culture matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa J J van Velthoven
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
- Department of Urology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Aksel N Gudde
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam University Medical Center, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Evert Arendsen
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
- Department of Urology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Jan-Paul Roovers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam University Medical Center, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Zeliha Guler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam University Medical Center, location AMC, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, The Netherlands
| | - Egbert Oosterwijk
- Department of Urology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 28, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Paul H J Kouwer
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, Nijmegen, 6525 AJ, The Netherlands
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Lei Y, Mungai R, Li J, Billiar K. Reducing retraction in engineered tissues through design of sequential growth factor treatment. Biofabrication 2023; 15:10.1088/1758-5090/accd24. [PMID: 37059087 PMCID: PMC10339712 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/accd24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Heart valve disease is associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide, resulting in hundreds of thousands of heart valve replacements each year. Tissue engineered heart valves (TEHVs) have the potential to overcome the major limitations of traditional replacement valves; however, leaflet retraction has led to the failure of TEHVs in preclinical studies. Sequentially varying growth factors over time has been utilized to promote maturation of engineered tissues and may be effective in reducing tissue retraction, yet it is difficult to predict the effects of such treatments due to complex interactions between the cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM), biochemical environment, and mechanical stimuli. We hypothesize that sequential treatments of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) can be used to minimize cell-generated tissue retraction by decreasing active cell contractile forces exerted on the ECM and by inducing the cells to increase the ECM stiffness. Using a custom culturing and monitoring system for 3D tissue constructs, we designed and tested various TGF-β1 and FGF-2 based growth factor treatments, and successfully reduced tissue retraction by 85% and increased the ECM elastic modulus by 260% compared to non-growth factor treated controls, without significantly increasing the contractile force. We also developed and verified a mathematical model to predict the effects of various temporal variations in growth factor treatments and analyzed relationships between tissue properties, the contractile forces, and retraction. These findings improve our understanding of growth factor-induced cell-ECM biomechanical interactions, which can inform the design of next generation TEHVs with reduced retraction. The mathematical models could also potentially be applied toward fast screening and optimizing growth factors for use in the treatment of diseases including fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Lei
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Gateway Park 4008, 60 Prescott Street, Worcester, MA 01605, United States of America
| | - Rozanne Mungai
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Gateway Park 4008, 60 Prescott Street, Worcester, MA 01605, United States of America
| | - Juanyong Li
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Gateway Park 4008, 60 Prescott Street, Worcester, MA 01605, United States of America
| | - Kristen Billiar
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Gateway Park 4008, 60 Prescott Street, Worcester, MA 01605, United States of America
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Le KT, Nguyen CT, Lac TD, Nguyen LGT, Tran TL, Tran-Van H. Facilely preparing carboxymethyl chitosan/hydroxyethyl cellulose hydrogel films for protective and sustained release of fibroblast growth factor 2 to accelerate dermal tissue repair. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2023.104318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
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Fibroblast growth factor-2 bound to specific dermal fibroblast-derived extracellular vesicles is protected from degradation. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22131. [PMID: 36550142 PMCID: PMC9780220 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26217-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) has multiple roles in cutaneous wound healing but its natural low stability prevents the development of its use in skin repair therapies. Here we show that FGF2 binds the outer surface of dermal fibroblast (DF)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) and this association protects FGF2 from fast degradation. EVs isolated from DF cultured in the presence of FGF2 harbor FGF2 on their surface and FGF2 can bind purified EVs in absence of cells. Remarkably, FGF2 binding to EVs is restricted to a specific subpopulation of EVs, which do not express CD63 and CD81 markers. Treatment of DF with FGF2-EVs activated ERK and STAT signaling pathways and increased cell proliferation and migration. Local injection of FGF2-EVs improved wound healing in mice. We further demonstrated that binding to EVs protects FGF2 from both thermal and proteolytic degradation, thus maintaining FGF2 function. This suggests that EVs protect soluble factors from degradation and increase their stability and half-life. These results reveal a novel aspect of EV function and suggest EVs as a potential tool for delivering FGF2 in skin healing therapies.
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Ground M, Park YE, Waqanivavalagi S, Callon K, Walker R, Milsom P, Cornish J. Generating robust human valvular interstitial cell cultures: Protocol and considerations. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2022; 173:118-126. [PMID: 36327771 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2022.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Research in heart valve biology is a growing field that has yet to elucidate the fundamentals of valve disease. Human valvular interstitial cells (hVICs) are the best option for studying the cellular mechanisms behind valvular pathologies. However, there is a wide range of isolation procedures for these cells published in the literature. To what extent various isolation methods, patient pathologies, and seeding densities influence the behaviour of hVICs remains unclear. Here, we present an optimised method of hVIC isolation from diseased human valves donated at the time of surgery. We show that two rounds of 1000 U/mL collagenase digestion for not >2 h results in a phenotypically stable cell culture with a near complete absence of endothelial cell contamination. We also suggest that cells should be seeded at 10,000 cells/cm2 for experimentation. We found that patient pathology does not affect the success of the isolation procedure, and that instead, successful cultures are predicted by ensuring >500 mg valve tissue as starting material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Ground
- Department of Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| | - Young Eun Park
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, New Zealand
| | - Steve Waqanivavalagi
- Green Lane Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland District Health Board, Grafton, New Zealand; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, New Zealand
| | - Karen Callon
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, New Zealand
| | - Robert Walker
- Department of Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Paget Milsom
- Green Lane Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland District Health Board, Grafton, New Zealand
| | - Jillian Cornish
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Grafton, New Zealand
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FGF-2 enhances fibrogenetic changes in TGF-β2 treated human conjunctival fibroblasts. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16006. [PMID: 36163231 PMCID: PMC9512844 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20036-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of the current study was to examine the effects of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) on conjunctival fibrogenesis that was induced by the presence of transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2). Two-dimension (2D) and three-dimension (3D) cultured human conjunctival fibroblasts (HconF) were used for this purpose. The 2D and 3D cultured HconF were characterized by transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) and FITC dextran permeability measurements (2D), real-time metabolic analyses (2D), size and stiffness measurements (3D), and the mRNA expression of extracellular matrix molecules, their modulators, Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases and matrix metalloproteinases and ER-stress related genes (2D and 3D). FGF-2 significantly increased planar proliferation, as evidenced by TEER values and FITC dextran permeability, and shifted glucose metabolism to the energetic phenotype of 2D HconF cells, and the stiffness of the 3D spheroids, and these effects were further enhanced in the presence of TGF-β2. Analyses of the expression of possible candidate molecules involved in cell architecture and stress indicated that some additive effects caused by both factors were also recognized in some of these molecules. The findings reported herein indicate that the FGF-2, either along or additively with TGF- β2 increased the fibrogenetic changes on the plane as well as in the spatial space of HconF cells.
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