Accelerating ESD-induced gastric ulcer healing using a pH-responsive polyurethane/small intestinal submucosa hydrogel delivered by endoscopic catheter

A Novel Rat Model to Simulate the Benign Esophageal Stricture Induced by Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection

Objective

This study aimed to establish a rat model that simulates benign esophageal strictures induced by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).

Materials and Methods

Sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into mucosal resection (n = 8) and sham-operated groups (n = 8). The rats in the mucosal resection group underwent a 5-mm three-fourths mucosal resection by way of a 3-mm incision in the distal esophagus under direct visualization via laparotomy. Rats in the sham-operated group underwent a 3-mm incision of the muscularis propria layer in the distal esophagus via laparotomy without mucosal resection. Dysphagia score, weight gain, mucosal constriction rate, and histology were evaluated 2 weeks after surgery.

Results

Technical success was achieved in all the animals. One rat in the mucosal resection group died of infection, and no other complications were observed. Weight gain (P < 0.001) and luminal diameter derived from the esophagograms (P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the mucosal resection group than those in the sham-operated group. Dysphagia score (P < 0.001) and mucosal constriction rate (P < 0.001) were significantly higher in the mucosal resection group than those in the sham-operated group. The inflammation grade (P = 0.002), damage to the muscularis propria (P < 0.001), number of nascent microvessels (P = 0.006), and degree of α-SMA positive deposition (P = 0.006) were significantly higher in the mucosal resection group.

Conclusion

A rat model of benign esophageal stricture induced by ESD was successfully and safely established by mucosal resection.

Promotion of diced cartilage survival and regeneration with grafting of small intestinal submucosa loaded with urine-derived stem cells

Cartilage absorption and calcification are prone to occur after the implantation of diced cartilage wrapped with autologous materials, as well as prolong the operation time, aggravate surgical trauma and postoperative pain during the acquisition process. Small intestinal submucosa (SIS) has suitable toughness and excellent degradability, which has been widely used in the clinic. Urine-derived stem cells (USCs), as a new type of stem cells, have multi-directional differentiation potential. In this study, we attempt to create the tissue engineering membrane material, termed USCs-SIS (U-SIS), and wrap the diced cartilage with it, assuming that they can promote the survival and regeneration of cartilage. In this study, after co-culture with the SIS and U-SIS, the proliferation, migration and chondrogenesis ability of the auricular-derived chondrocyte cells (ACs) were significantly improved. Further, the expression levels of chondrocyte phenotype-related genes were up-regulated, whilst that of dedifferentiated genes was down-regulated. The signal pathway proteins (Wnt3a and Wnt5a) were also participated in regulation of chondrogenesis. In vivo, compared with perichondrium, the diced cartilage wrapped with the SIS and U-SIS attained higher survival rate, less calcification and absorption in both short and long terms. Particularly, USCs promoted chondrogenesis and modulated local immune responses via paracrine pathways. In conclusion, SIS have the potential to be a new choice of membrane material for diced cartilage graft. U-SIS can enhance survival and regeneration of diced cartilage as a bioactive membrane material.

Versatile Injectable Carboxymethyl Chitosan Hydrogel for Immediate Hemostasis, Robust Tissue Adhesion Barrier, and Antibacterial Applications

Iatrogenic ulcers resulting from endoscopic submucosal dissection surgery remain a significant clinical concern due to the risk of uncontrolled bleeding. Herein, we have developed an injectable shear-thinning hydrogel cross-linked through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. The hydrogel underwent comprehensive characterization, focusing on rheological behavior, injectability, microstructure, film-forming capability, adhesion, swelling behavior, degradation kinetics, antibacterial efficacy, hemostatic performance, and biocompatibility. The incorporation of poly(vinyl alcohol) notably enhanced the internal structural stability and injection pressure, while the Laponite content influenced self-healing ability, modulus, and viscosity. Additionally, the hydrogel exhibited pH sensitivity, appropriate degradation, and swelling rates and displayed favorable film-forming and adhesion properties. Notably, it demonstrated excellent resistance against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, highlighting its potential to create an optimal wound environment. In vivo studies further confirmed the hydrogel's exceptional hemostatic performance, positioning it as an optimal material for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) surgery. Moreover, cell experiments and hemolysis tests revealed high biocompatibility, supporting their potential to facilitate the healing of iatrogenic ulcers post-ESD surgery. In conclusion, our hydrogels hold great promise as endoscopic treatment materials for ESD-induced ulcers given their outstanding properties.

Incorporation of Cell-Adhesive Proteins in 3D-Printed Lipoic Acid-Maleic Acid-Poly(Propylene Glycol)-Based Tough Gel Ink for Cell-Supportive Microenvironment

In extrusion-based 3D printing, the use of synthetic polymeric hydrogels can facilitate fabrication of cellularized and implanted scaffolds with sufficient mechanical properties to maintain the structural integrity and physical stress within the in vivo conditions. However, synthetic hydrogels face challenges due to their poor properties of cellular adhesion, bioactivity, and biofunctionality. New compositions of hydrogel inks have been designed to address this limitation. A viscous poly(maleate-propylene oxide)-lipoate-poly(ethylene oxide) (MPLE) hydrogel is recently developed that shows high-resolution printability, drug-controlled release, excellent mechanical properties with adhesiveness, and biocompatibility. In this study, the authors demonstrate that the incorporation of cell-adhesive proteins like gelatin and albumin within the MPLE gel allows printing of biologically functional 3D scaffolds with rapid cell spreading (within 7 days) and high cell proliferation (twofold increase) as compared with MPLE gel only. Addition of proteins (10% w/v) supports the formation of interconnected cell clusters (≈1.6-fold increase in cell areas after 7-day) and spreading of cells in the printed scaffolds without additional growth factors. In in vivo studies, the protein-loaded scaffolds showed excellent biocompatibility and increased angiogenesis without inflammatory response after 4-week implantation in mice, thus demonstrating the promise to contribute to the printable tough hydrogel inks for tissue engineering.

Aquatic Diatoms-Inspired Universal Adhesive Coacervates Triggered by Water

Adhesives with strong underwater adhesion performance are urgently needed in diverse areas. However, designing adhesives with long-term stability to diverse materials underwater in a facile way is challenging. Here, inspired by aquatic diatoms, a series of novel biomimetic universal adhesives is reported that shows tunable performance with robust and long-lasting stable underwater adhesion to various substrates, including wet biological tissues. The versatile and robust wet-contact adhesives are pre-polymerized by N-[tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]acrylamide, n-butyl acrylate, and methylacrylic acid in dimethyl sulfoxide and spontaneously coacervated in water triggered by solvent exchange. The synergistic interaction between hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction allows the hydrogels with instant and strong adhesion to various substrate surfaces. The slowly formed covalent bonds enhance cohesion and adhesion strength in hours. The spatial and timescale-dependent adhesion mechanism endows the adhesives with strong and long-lasting stable underwater adhesion to be coupled with fault-tolerant convenient surgical operations.

Design and validation of performance-oriented injectable chitosan thermosensitive hydrogels for endoscopic submucosal dissection

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a challenging procedure. The use of biomaterials to improve the operator's convenience (operating affinity) has received little attention. We prepared two thermosensitive hydrogels, lactobionic acid-modified chitosan/chitosan/β-glycerophosphate thermosensitive hydrogel (hydrogel 1) and its lyophilized powders (hydrogel 2), characterized their physicochemical properties and evaluated their performance in ESD experiments on large animals, by comparing with the commonly used normal saline (NS) and glycerin fructose (GF). These hydrogels showed good low-temperature fluidity; their viscosities at 4 °C were 92.2 mPa.s and 26.9 mPa.s, respectively. The hydrogels provided significantly better viscoelastic properties than NS and GF. The relaxation moduli of hydrogels were higher than those of NS and GF when the strains were 1 %, 5 %, and 10 %. The hydrogels can be maintained for seven days, even at pH 1, after which they degrade entirely. In pig model experiments, we performed submucosal injection and ESD procedures in the stomach and esophagus. The cushion height produced by the hydrogels was higher than those of NS and GF 30 min after injection. The ESD operation time for hydrogels was significantly shorter. Postoperative wound observation and histological analysis showed that the hydrogels promoted wound healing. The two hydrogels differed in fluidity, viscoelasticity, and other properties, which makes it possible to select the hydrogels according to the size and location of the lesion during ESD operation, and hydrogel 2 may be more suitable for use in lengthier procedures. In general, the hydrogels showed good performance, facilitated the intraoperative operation of ESD, shorten the operation time and promoted wound healing, which is of great significance for reducing the complications and reducing the threshold of ESD operation and further promoting the popularity of ESD.

Recent advances in regenerative biomaterials

Nowadays, biomaterials have evolved from the inert supports or functional substitutes to the bioactive materials able to trigger or promote the regenerative potential of tissues. The interdisciplinary progress has broadened the definition of 'biomaterials', and a typical new insight is the concept of tissue induction biomaterials. The term 'regenerative biomaterials' and thus the contents of this article are relevant to yet beyond tissue induction biomaterials. This review summarizes the recent progress of medical materials including metals, ceramics, hydrogels, other polymers and bio-derived materials. As the application aspects are concerned, this article introduces regenerative biomaterials for bone and cartilage regeneration, cardiovascular repair, 3D bioprinting, wound healing and medical cosmetology. Cell-biomaterial interactions are highlighted. Since the global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019, the review particularly mentions biomaterials for public health emergency. In the last section, perspectives are suggested: (i) creation of new materials is the source of innovation; (ii) modification of existing materials is an effective strategy for performance improvement; (iii) biomaterial degradation and tissue regeneration are required to be harmonious with each other; (iv) host responses can significantly influence the clinical outcomes; (v) the long-term outcomes should be paid more attention to; (vi) the noninvasive approaches for monitoring in vivo dynamic evolution are required to be developed; (vii) public health emergencies call for more research and development of biomaterials; and (viii) clinical translation needs to be pushed forward in a full-chain way. In the future, more new insights are expected to be shed into the brilliant field-regenerative biomaterials.

In Vitro and In Vivo Investigation on the Effectiveness of Alginate-Based Gastric Mucosal Protective Gel

Objective

To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of an alginate-based gastric mucosal protective gel on the gastric ulcer.

Methods

(1) In the physical protection model, after GES-1 cell attachment add the gel to transwell chamber, add different concentrations of HCl to the gel. Absorbance was measured to assess proliferation and images of the cells migrating into the wound were taken; then the migration rate of the cells was quantified by comparing images. (2) In the gastric ulcer model, excise the gastric mucosal of SD rats; the gel and fixative were applied on the artificial ulcer immediately. Dissect rats after 10 days, and calculate the wound healing rate and analyzed histology changes.

Results

The effect of hydrochloric acid on cells in the lower layer was significantly reduced after the use of gastric mucosal protection gel. The protective gel had an isolation effect on different concentrations of acid. A number of GES-1 were significantly higher than those in the control group at 24 h to 72 h (P < 0.01). The migration was observed compared with the control group. The average healing rate of ulcer in the gel group was about 50%, and the control group was about 30%. Inflammation occurred in all wound regions after ten days. In the gel group, inflammatory infiltration depth was lower than that of the control, and part of SD rats' new muscle layer appeared without inflammatory infiltration. The connective tissue proliferation promoted tissue repair. In the control group, necrosis marginal, mucosal hyperplasia, marginal lymphocyte aggregation, and bleeding were observed.

Conclusion

This novel gel mainly has an isolating and shielding effect to prevent the wound from being exposed to gastric acid for a long time, and it can reduce the inflammatory reaction on the wounds to promote the healing of the ulcer. The gastric mucosal protective gel cannot only promote the speed of wound healing but also improve the quality of wound healing.

Application of antibody-conjugated small intestine submucosa to capture urine-derived stem cells for bladder repair in a rabbit model

The need for bladder reconstruction and side effects of cystoplasty have spawned the demand for the development of alternative material substitutes. Biomaterials such as submucosa of small intestine (SIS) have been widely used as patches for bladder repair, but the outcomes are not fully satisfactory. To capture stem cells in situ has been considered as a promising strategy to speed up the process of re-cellularization and functionalization. In this study, we have developed an anti-CD29 antibody-conjugated SIS scaffold (AC-SIS) which is capable of specifically capturing urine-derived stem cells (USCs) in situ for tissue repair and regeneration. The scaffold has exhibited effective capture capacity and sound biocompatibility. In vivo experiment proved that the AC-SIS scaffold could promote rapid endothelium healing and smooth muscle regeneration. The endogenous stem cell capturing scaffolds has thereby provided a new revenue for developing effective and safer bladder patches.

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We developed an anti-CD29 antibody-crosslinked submucosa of small intestine scaffold (AC-SIS).

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AC-SIS is capable of specifically capturing urine-derived stem cells (USCs) as well as possesses a sound biocompatibility.

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AC-SIS promotes in situ tissue regeneration by facilitating the repair of bladder epithelium, smooth muscle and angiogenesis.

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Design and application of endogenous stem cell capturing scaffolds provides a new strategy for bladder repair.

An injectable hemostatic PEG-based hydrogel with on-demand dissolution features for emergency care

Uncontrolled bleeding from internal noncompressible wounds is a major cause of prehospital death in military personnel and civilian populations. An ideal hemostatic sealant for emergency care should quickly control blood loss and be removed without debridement for the follow-up treatment in the operating room, yet the lack of suitable materials to meet both requirements is the bottleneck. Herein, we suggest an injectable and dissolvable hydrogel sealant for hemorrhage management of noncompressible wounds. To this end, a 4-arm poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) crosslinker modified with thioester linkages and terminated with aldehyde groups is designed and synthesized, and to modulate the gel properties and make it suitable as a hemostatic sealant, a mixed amino component composed of poly(ethylene imine) and adipic dihydrazide is employed to react with the PEG crosslinker to form the adhesive and elastic sealant for the first time. The aldehyde groups provide the adhesion to the tissues, and the amino component affords the procoagulant ability. More importantly, the thioester moieties allow the on-demand dissolution of sealant via a thiol-thioester exchange reaction upon exposure to an exogenous thiolate solution. In the rat femoral artery puncture and liver injury models, the administration of the hydrogel sealant dramatically reduces blood loss, and its subsequent removal does not induce rebleeding. Consequently, this hydrogel sealant with the unique feature of on-demand dissolution can not only efficiently control bleeding in emergent scenarios, but also allow non-traumatic re-exposure of wounds during subsequent surgical care. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Sealants, adhesives or hemostatic dressings currently used in emergency situations not only require manual pressure to control bleeding, but also face removal by cutting and mechanical debridement to enable eventual surgical treatment. In this study, we design and develop an injectable and adhesive hydrogel sealant with good procoagulant capacity and on-demand dissolution feature. The application of the hydrogel sealant substantially reduces bleeding from internal noncompressible wounds without the need for direct pressure, and demonstrates for the first time that its controlled removal without debridement does not cause rebleeding. Considering that there are currently no commercial wound sealant systems with the feature of on-demand dissolution, the hydrogel sealant developed by us is expected to address an unmet clinical need.