Optimized adipose tissue engineering strategy based on a neo-mechanical processing method.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Decellularized adipose tissue (DAT) is a promising scaffold for adipose tissue engineering.
• Traditional lipid removal damages extracellular matrix (ECM) and hinders vascularization.
• Inadequate vascularization limits the effectiveness of DAT in vivo.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid, mild method for producing high-quality DAT (M-DAT) with preserved ECM.
• To investigate the potential of adipose liquid extract (ALE) to enhance M-DAT recellularization and vascularization.
• To evaluate the efficacy of combining M-DAT and ALE for engineered adipose tissue construction.

Main Methods:

• A neo-mechanical protocol was used to rapidly break adipocytes and remove lipids.
• Fast and mild decellularization produced M-DAT, with ALE collected from the mechanical process.
• M-DAT and ALE were evaluated for decellularization efficiency, ECM quality, recellularization, and angiogenic potential in vitro and in vivo.

Main Results:

• M-DAT demonstrated comparable decellularization efficiency to ordinary DAT but with superior ECM retention and recellularization.
• ALE was rich in angiogenic factors (bFGF, EGF, TGF-β1, VEGF) and promoted in vitro tube formation.
• ALE induced significant in vivo angiogenesis in M-DAT, increased adipocyte numbers, and upregulated PPARγ expression.

Conclusions:

• The mechanical processing method yields high-quality M-DAT and angiogenic factor-enriched ALE.
• Combining M-DAT with ALE represents a promising strategy for enhancing engineered adipose tissue.
• This approach could overcome limitations in vascularization and improve outcomes in adipose tissue regeneration.