A 3D-Printed Dual Driving Forces Scaffold with Self-Promoted Cell Absorption for Spinal Cord Injury Repair

Chen Qiu; Yuan Sun; Jinying Li; Jiayi Zhou; Yuchen Xu; Cong Qiu; Kang Yu; Jia Liu; Yuanqing Jiang; Wenyu Cui; Guanghao Wang; He Liu; Weixin Yuan; Tuoying Jiang; Yaohui Kou; Zhen Ge; Zhiying He; Shaomin Zhang; Yong He; Luyang Yu

doi:10.1002/advs.202301639

A 3D-Printed Dual Driving Forces Scaffold with Self-Promoted Cell Absorption for Spinal Cord Injury Repair

Adv Sci (Weinh). 2023 Nov;10(33):e2301639. doi: 10.1002/advs.202301639. Epub 2023 Oct 23.

Authors

Chen Qiu^{1

2}, Yuan Sun^{3

4}, Jinying Li^{1

2}, Jiayi Zhou^{1

2}, Yuchen Xu⁵, Cong Qiu^{1

2}, Kang Yu^{3

4}, Jia Liu^{1

2}, Yuanqing Jiang^{1

2}, Wenyu Cui⁶, Guanghao Wang⁷, He Liu^{1

2}, Weixin Yuan^{1

2}, Tuoying Jiang^{1

2}, Yaohui Kou^{1

2}, Zhen Ge⁸, Zhiying He^{9

10}, Shaomin Zhang⁵, Yong He^{3

4}, Luyang Yu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Intervention and Regenerative Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
² MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection and iCell Biotechnology Regenerative Biomedicine Laboratory of College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Process and Equipment of Zhejiang Province, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
⁵ Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
⁶ Eye Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
⁷ Zhejiang SCI-TECH University, Hangzhou, 310018, China.
⁸ School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310013, China.
⁹ Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200123, China.
¹⁰ Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Shanghai, 200335, China.

Abstract

Stem cells play critical roles in cell therapies and tissue engineering for nerve repair. However, achieving effective delivery of high cell density remains a challenge. Here, a novel cell delivery platform termed the hyper expansion scaffold (HES) is developed to enable high cell loading. HES facilitated self-promoted and efficient cell absorption via a dual driving force model. In vitro tests revealed that the HES rapidly expanded 80-fold in size upon absorbing 2.6 million human amniotic epithelial stem cells (hAESCs) within 2 min, representing over a 400% increase in loading capacity versus controls. This enhanced uptake benefited from macroscopic swelling forces as well as microscale capillary action. In spinal cord injury (SCI) rats, HES-hAESCs promoted functional recovery and axonal projection by reducing neuroinflammation and improving the neurotrophic microenvironment surrounding the lesions. In summary, the dual driving forces model provides a new rationale for engineering hydrogel scaffolds to facilitate self-promoted cell absorption. The HES platform demonstrates great potential as a powerful and efficient vehicle for delivering high densities of hAESCs to promote clinical treatment and repair of SCI.

Keywords: 3D printing; cell delivery; human amniotic epithelial stem cells; hydrogel scaffolds; spinal cord injury.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Animals
Humans
Printing, Three-Dimensional
Rats
Spinal Cord Injuries* / therapy
Spinal Cord Regeneration*
Tissue Engineering
Tissue Scaffolds

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding