Background: Due to adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) being easy to obtain, their rapid proliferation rate, and their multidirectional differentiation capabilities, they have been widely used in the field of regenerative medicine. With the progress of decellularized adipose tissue (DAT) and adipose tissue engineering research, the role of DAT in promoting angiogenesis has gradually been emphasized.
Methods: We examined the biological characteristics and biosafety of DAT and evaluated the stem cell maintenance ability and promotion of growth factor secretion through conducting in vitro and in vivo studies.
Results: The tested ASCs showed high rat:es of proliferation and adhered well to DAT. The expression levels of essential genes for cell stem maintenance, including OCT4, SOX2, and Nanog were low at 2-24 h and much higher at 48 and 96 h. The Adipogenic expression level of markers for ASCs proliferation including PPARγ, C/EPBα, and LPL increased from 2 to 96 h. Co-culture of ASCs and DAT increased the secretion of local growth factors, such as VEGF, PDGF-bb, bFGF, HGF, EGF, and FDGF-bb, and secretion gradually increased from 0 to 48 h. A model of full-thickness skin defects on the back of nude mice was established, and the co-culture of ASCs and DAT showed the best in vivo treatment effect.
Conclusion: The application of DAT promotes wound healing, and DAT combined with ASCs may be a promising material in adipose tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
Keywords: Adipose-derived stem cells; Decellularized adipose tissue; Nude mouse model; Wound healing.