Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Magnetically Targeted Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Laser-Induced Skin Injuries in Rats

Int J Nanomedicine. 2020 Aug 6:15:5645-5659. doi: 10.2147/IJN.S258017. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Introduction: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a promising resource for tissue regeneration and repair. However, their clinical application is hindered by technical limitations related to MSC enrichment at the target sites.

Methods: MSCs were labeled with magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs). We analyzed the effects of NP on cell proliferation, stem cell characteristics, and cytokine secretion. Furthermore, we induced NP-labeled MSC migration with an external magnetic field toward laser-induced skin wounds in rats and evaluated the associated anti-inflammatory effects.

Results: Fe3O4 NP application did not adversely affect MSC characteristics. Moreover, Fe3O4 NP-labeled MSCs presented increased anti-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production compared with unlabeled MSCs. Furthermore, MSCs accumulated at the injury site and magnetic targeting promoted NP-labeled MSC migration toward burn injury sites in vivo. On day 7 following MSC injection, reduced inflammation and promoted angiogenesis were observed in the magnetically targeted MSC group. In addition, anti-inflammatory factors were upregulated, whereas pro-inflammatory factors were downregulated within the magnetically targeted MSC group compared with those in the PBS group.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that magnetically targeted MSCs contribute to cell migration to the site of skin injury, improve anti-inflammatory effects and enhance angiogenesis compared with MSC injection alone. Therefore, magnetically targeted MSC therapy may be an effective treatment approach for epithelial tissue injuries.

Keywords: Fe3O4 nanoparticle; anti-inflammatory effect; magnetic targeting; mesenchymal stem cells; skin injury.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Burns / etiology
  • Burns / pathology
  • Burns / therapy*
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Lasers / adverse effects*
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / methods*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / chemistry*
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Skin / pathology
  • Wound Healing

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Magnetite Nanoparticles

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Science and Technology Project of Jilin Provincial Education Department (Grant Nos. 20200201310JC, 20190901007JC, 20190304030YY, and 20190908002TC), the Capital Construction Funds Planned Projects in the Provincial Budget of 2019 (Grant No. 2019C016), the Changchun Science and Technology Development Plan Project (Grant No. 18YJ011), the Health Service Capacity Improvement Project in Jilin Province (Grant No. 2017F014), and the Health Special Project of Jilin Provincial Finance Department (Grant Nos. sczsy201716 and 2018scz034).