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Abreu CM, Lago MEL, Pires J, Reis RL, da Silva LP, Marques AP. Gellan gum-based hydrogels support the recreation of the dermal papilla microenvironment. Biomater Adv 2023; 150:213437. [PMID: 37116455 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The dermal papilla (DP), a specialized compartment within the hair follicle, regulates hair growth. However, human DP cells rapidly lose their inductivity in 2D-culture given the loss of positional and microenvironmental cues. Spheroids have been capable of recreating the 3D intercellular organization of DP cells, however, DP cell-matrix interactions are poorly represented. Considering the specific nature of the DP's extracellular matrix (ECM), we functionalized gellan gum (GG) with collagen IV-(HepIII) or fibronectin-(cRGDfC) derived peptide sequences to generate a 3D environment in which the phenotype and physiological functions of DP cells are restored. We further tuned the stiffness of the microenvironments by varying GG amount. Biomimetic peptides in stiffer hydrogels promoted the adhesion of DP cells, while each peptide and amount of polymer independently influenced the type and quantity of ECM proteins deposited. Furthermore, although peptides did not seem to have an influence, stiffer hydrogels improved the inductive capacity of DP cells after short term culture. Interestingly, independently of the peptide, these hydrogels supported the recapitulation of basic hair morphogenesis-like events when incorporated in an organotypic human skin in vitro model. Our work demonstrates that tailored GG hydrogels support the generation of a microenvironment in which both cell-ECM and cell-cell interactions positively influence DP cells towards the creation of an artificial DP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla M Abreu
- 3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Manuela E L Lago
- 3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Joana Pires
- 3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Rui L Reis
- 3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Lucília P da Silva
- 3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Alexandra P Marques
- 3B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University of Minho, Avepark, 4805-017 Barco, Guimarães, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
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Gering C, Párraga J, Vuorenpää H, Botero L, Miettinen S, Kellomäki M. Bioactivated gellan gum hydrogels affect cellular rearrangement and cell response in vascular co-culture and subcutaneous implant models. Biomater Adv 2022; 143:213185. [PMID: 36371972 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.213185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogels are suitable soft tissue mimics and capable of creating pre-vascularized tissues, that are useful for in vitro tissue engineering and in vivo regenerative medicine. The polysaccharide gellan gum (GG) offers an intriguing matrix material but requires bioactivation in order to support cell attachment and transfer of biomechanical cues. Here, four versatile modifications were investigated: Purified NaGG; avidin-modified NaGG combined with biotinylated fibronectin (NaGG-avd); oxidized GG (GGox) covalently modified with carbohydrazide-modified gelatin (gelaCDH) or adipic hydrazide-modified gelatin (gelaADH). All materials were subjected to rheological analysis to assess their viscoelastic properties, using a time sweep for gelation analysis, and subsequent amplitude sweep of the formed hydrogels. The sweeps show that NaGG and NaGG-avd are rather brittle, while gelatin-based hydrogels are more elastic. The degradation of preformed hydrogels in cell culture medium was analyzed with an amplitude sweep and show that gelatin-containing hydrogels degrade more dramatically. A co-culture of GFP-tagged HUVEC and hASC was performed to induce vascular network formation in 3D for up to 14 days. Immunofluorescence staining of the αSMA+ network showed increased cell response to gelatin-GG networks, while the NaGG-based hydrogels did not allow for the elongation of cells. Preformed, 3D hydrogels disks were implanted to subcutaneous rat skin pockets to evaluate biological in vivo response. As visible from the hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue slices, all materials are biocompatible, however gelatin-GG hydrogels produced a stronger host response. This work indicates, that besides the biochemical cues added to the GG hydrogels, also their viscoelasticity greatly influences the biological response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Gering
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Jenny Párraga
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Hanna Vuorenpää
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Lucía Botero
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Susanna Miettinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland; Research, Development and Innovation Centre, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Minna Kellomäki
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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