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Strategies to Mitigate Variability in Engineering Human Nasal Cartilage
Stephen H J Andrews1, Melanie Kunze1, Aillette Mulet-Sierra1
1Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Orthopaedic Tissue Engineering, Divisions of Orthopaedic Surgery and Surgical Research, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Scientific Reports
|July 28, 2017
Summary
Tissue engineering of nasal cartilage shows donor variability. Co-culture with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) improved tissue quality but led to unstable cartilage phenotypes in vivo.
Area of Science:
- Regenerative Medicine
- Tissue Engineering
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Skin cancer treatments, especially on the nose, can be devastating.
- Tissue engineering (TE) offers strategies for nasal cartilage reconstruction.
- Donor variability in TE cartilage quality is a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate donor-to-donor variability in human nasal cartilage TE constructs.
- Evaluate strategies to mitigate variability and improve tissue quality.
- Assess the role of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) in cartilage quality.
Main Methods:
- Generated human nasal cartilage on a collagen scaffold.
- Analyzed gene expression of FGFR1-4 and correlated with tissue quality (GAG/DNA).
- Implemented hypoxic culture and co-culture with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) to enhance tissue.
Main Results:
- Significant donor variability (>10-fold) in glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content was observed.
- FGFR1 expression positively correlated with chondrogenic capacity (GAG/DNA).
- Co-culture with MSCs improved poor-quality donor tissue and suppressed hypertrophy, but led to in vivo vascularization and calcification.
Conclusions:
- Mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) co-culture can enhance TE nasal cartilage quality but compromises long-term cartilage stability.
- Hypoxic culture did not improve tissue quality.
- Further strategies are needed to ensure stable cartilage phenotypes in TE constructs for nasal reconstruction.
