The impact of electroconductive multifunctional composite nanofibrous scaffold on adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Słysz, Anna; Siennicka, Katarzyna; Kijeńska-Gawrońska, Ewa; Dębski, Tomasz; Zołocińska, Aleksandra; Święszkowski, Wojciech; Pojda, Zygmunt
• Is Part Of: Tissue & cell. Volume 78(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Mesenchymal stem cell -- Electrical stimulation -- Scaffold -- NGF -- Neural cell differentiation; Cytology -- Periodicals; 571.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2022.101899
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0040-8166

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The development of tissue-engineered scaffolds with electrical properties is the primary motivation of novel regenerative medicine. Electroconductive scaffolds are designed to mimic the injured tissue environment's electrical properties and regulate cellular behavior - growth, proliferation, and differentiation - that could stimulate the injured nerve's regeneration. Methods: We fabricated dedicated electroconductive scaffolds and customized an appropriate device with an external current supply to expose cells on the scaffold to electrical stimulation (ES). Next, we isolated rat adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) and performed in vitro experiments that combine cells, an electroconductive scaffold, NGF (nerve growth factor), and ES (90 mV/mm, constant, for four days). Finally, we checked cellular activity as proliferation, viability, morphology, the neurogenic differentiation potential of ASCs, cell alignment, and karyotype. Results: We observed that the electrical stimulation did not change the viability and chromosome stability of rat ASCs, but altered slightly proliferation compared to non-stimulated cells. The combined effect of a scaffold, NGF, and ES caused morphology changes and enhancement of ASCs neuronal differentiation as indicated in βIII-tubulin expression, actin organization, and upregulation of neurogenic gene expression. Conclusions: We developed an electroconductive scaffold and customized device for in vitro study with many experimental variants. Based on our results, we presumed that the established study scheme - including an electroconductive scaffold, NGF and ES - is biocompatible and could guide ASCs to differentiate in neurogenic lineage, thus may be potentially applied in nerve injury regeneration. Highlights: A novel in vitro electrical stimulation device was developed. A conductive multifunctional nanofibrous NGF-encapsulated scaffold was fabricated. Electrical stimulation had no cytotoxic effect on ASCs. The combined effect of a scaffold, NGF, and ES promotes ASCs neural differentiation.