Human Endometriosis Scaffold Can Enhance Cell Seeding and Engraftment; an In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Reproductive Biology

Background:

• The extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a crucial role in cell behavior, but its characteristics in human endometrial lesions (HEL) and human uterine fibromas (HUF) remain poorly understood.
• Understanding ECM properties is vital for developing effective tissue engineering strategies and disease models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the ECM of HEL and HUF.
• To evaluate the impact of HEL and HUF ECM on cell engraftment and proliferation.
• To optimize a decellularization protocol for HEL and HUF tissues.

Main Methods:

• Human endometrial lesion and uterine fibroma tissues were collected and decellularized using a novel protocol.
• Histology, DAPI, Masson's trichrome staining, and scanning electron microscopy confirmed complete cell removal and preserved ECM microstructure.
• Decellularized scaffolds were used for in vitro 3D culture of human endometrial-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hEMSCs) and in vivo evaluation in a rat model.

Main Results:

• Decellularization successfully removed cells while preserving ECM integrity in both HEL and HUF scaffolds.
• hEMSCs exhibited significantly higher seeding efficiency on HEL scaffolds (51.16 ± 28.84) compared to HUF scaffolds (6.16 ± 7.29) (p=0.012).
• In vivo implantation of HEL scaffolds in rats showed time-dependent host cell recruitment and remodeling.

Conclusions:

• Decellularized HEL scaffolds provide a superior ECM platform for cell seeding and engraftment compared to HUF scaffolds.
• These findings highlight the potential of HEL scaffolds for developing in vitro and in vivo models of endometriosis.
• The optimized decellularization protocol yields functional ECM scaffolds for regenerative medicine applications.