Bi-layered Adipose Mesenchymal Cell Sheets Improve Bladder Compliance in Spinal Cord-Injured Rats

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Tissue Engineering
• Urology

Background:

• Augmentation cystoplasty using intestinal segments is a common treatment for low-compliance bladders but carries significant surgical risks.
• Tissue engineering presents a promising alternative to avoid intestinal complications.
• Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to bladder dysfunction, including reduced compliance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of bi-layered adipose-derived mesenchymal cell (AMC) sheets in improving bladder compliance in a rat model of SCI.
• To assess the impact of AMC sheets on bladder tissue structure and cellular differentiation post-transplantation.

Main Methods:

• Bi-layered AMC sheets were fabricated from GFP-transfected rat AMCs cultured on gelatin hydrogels.
• A rat model of SCI was created by partial spinal cord transection.
• AMC sheets were patch-transplanted onto the bladders of SCI rats, with a sham operation serving as the control group.

Main Results:

• AMC sheet transplantation significantly increased bladder capacity and compliance compared to controls.
• Transplanted bladders exhibited thicker smooth muscle layers and reduced collagen fiber deposition.
• Transplanted AMCs differentiated into smooth muscle cells and secreted beneficial growth factors like TGF-β1 and VEGF.

Conclusions:

• Bi-layered AMC sheets effectively improve bladder compliance and tissue structure in SCI rats.
• This tissue engineering strategy holds potential as a safer alternative for treating low-compliance bladders.
• AMC sheets promote bladder regeneration through cellular differentiation and paracrine signaling.