Optical Control of Tissue Regeneration through Photostimulation of Organic Semiconducting Nanoparticles. Issue 19 (28th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Onorato, Giada; Fardella, Federica; Lewinska, Anna; Gobbo, Federico; Tommasini, Giuseppina; Wnuk, Maciej; Tino, Angela; Moros, Maria; Antognazza, Maria Rosa; Tortiglione, Claudia
• Is Part Of: Advanced healthcare materials. Volume 11:Issue 19(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-07-28
• Subjects: light responsive conjugated polymers -- tissue regeneration -- model organisms -- organic semiconductors -- optical stimulation; Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202200366
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2192-2640

Abstract

Abstract: Next generation bioengineering strives to identify crucial cues that trigger regeneration of damaged tissues, and to control the cells that execute these programs with biomaterials and devices. Molecular and biophysical mechanisms driving embryogenesis may inspire novel tools to reactivate developmental programs in situ. Here nanoparticles based on conjugated polymers are employed for optical control of regenerating tissues by using an animal with unlimited regenerative potential, the polyp Hydra, as in vivo model, and human keratinocytes as an in vitro model to investigate skin repair. By integrating animal, cellular, molecular, and biochemical approaches, nanoparticles based on poly‐3‐hexylthiophene (P3HT) are shown able to enhance regeneration kinetics, stem cell proliferation, and biomolecule oxidation levels. Opposite outputs are obtained with PCPDTBT‐NPs (Poly[2, 6‐(4, 4‐bis‐(2‐ethylhexyl)‐4 H ‐cyclopenta [2, 1‐ b ;3, 4‐ b ′] dithiophene)‐ alt ‐4, 7(2, 1, 3‐benzothiadiazole)], causing a beneficial effect on Hydra regeneration but not on the migratory capability of keratinocytes. These results suggest that the artificial modulation of the redox potential in injured tissues may represent a powerful modality to control their regenerative potential. Importantly, the possibility to fine‐tuning materials' photocatalytic efficiency may enable a biphasic modulation over a wide dynamic range, which can be exploited to augment the tissue regenerative capacity or inhibit the unlimited potential of cancerous cells in pathological contexts. Abstract : The photoexcitation of conjugated polymer nanoparticles enhances the regeneration of an amputated animal, the freshwater polyp Hydra . The modulation of intracellular ROS levels through NP of different compositions represents a powerful modality to augment or inhibit the regenerative capacity of adult tissues for therapeutic purposes.