PCL/EUG scaffolds with tunable stiffness can regulate macrophage secretion behavior

Y Z B Xue; Y M Niu; B Tang; C M Wang

doi:10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2019.05.006

PCL/EUG scaffolds with tunable stiffness can regulate macrophage secretion behavior

Prog Biophys Mol Biol. 2019 Nov:148:4-11. doi: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2019.05.006. Epub 2019 Jun 18.

Authors

Y Z B Xue¹, Y M Niu², B Tang³, C M Wang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China.
³ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: tangbinsci@gmail.com.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China. Electronic address: cmwang@umac.mo.

PMID: 31226307
DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2019.05.006

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder worldwide. Recent studies suggested that macrophages play an important role in the progression of OA. However, the detailed pathology related to macrophages is still ambiguous, especially where related to mechanotransduction. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) and Eucommia Ulmoides Gum (EUG) composite scaffolds were first fabricated by electrospinning. The stiffness of as-fabricated scaffolds was altered by adjusting the PCL-to-EUG ratio. The mechanical properties, structural characteristics and chemical composition of the scaffolds were investigated using various materials characterization techniques. The results show that stiffness of the scaffolds was in the same range as that of cartilage tissues with OA. Confocal microscopy and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed to investigate the macrophages cultured on the scaffolds. Significant morphological changes of cells were observed on PCL/EUG scaffolds with different stiffness. The expression of inflammatory and fibrosis-related cytokines increases as scaffold stiffness decreases, similar to the trend observed in OA progression.

Keywords: Electrospinning; Eucommia Ulmoides gum; Macrophage; Osteoarthritis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
Biocompatible Materials / pharmacology
Biomechanical Phenomena / drug effects
Cell Survival / drug effects
Eucommiaceae / chemistry*
Macrophages / cytology
Macrophages / drug effects*
Macrophages / metabolism*
Mechanical Phenomena / drug effects*
Mice
Plant Gums / chemistry*
Polyesters / chemistry*
Polyesters / pharmacology*
RAW 264.7 Cells

Substances

Biocompatible Materials
Plant Gums
Polyesters
polycaprolactone