Open AccessThe application of decellularized nucleus pulposus matrix/chitosan with transforming growth factor β3 for nucleus pulposus tissue engineering
Author(s) -
Wenzhong Kuang,
Chen Liu,
Huazi Xu
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
cytotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.488
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1573-0778
pISSN - 0920-9069
DOI - 10.1007/s10616-021-00469-0
Subject(s) - decellularization , nucleus , tissue engineering , chitosan , microbiology and biotechnology , extracellular matrix , chemistry , self healing hydrogels , intervertebral disc , scaffold , matrix (chemical analysis) , transforming growth factor , biomedical engineering , anatomy , biology , biochemistry , medicine , organic chemistry , chromatography
Low back pain caused by intervertebral disc degeneration has become a global problem that seriously affects public health. The application of nucleus pulposus tissue engineering to disc degeneration has attracted increasing attention. A scaffold is important for nucleus pulposus tissue engineering, which provides a three-dimensional growth space with an appropriate biomechanical and biochemical microenvironment for seed cell differentiation and proliferation. In this study, a decellularized nucleus pulposus matrix/chitosan (DNPM/chitosan) hydrogel scaffold was prepared with crosslinker genipin. Nucleus pulposus stem cells (NPSCs) were cultured in hybrid hydrogels with or without transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) and then cell morphology, proliferation, and nucleus pulposus-related gene expression were analyzed. TGF-β3 was successfully incorporated into the DNPM/chitosan hydrogel and NPSCs grew well on both kinds of hydrogel. Moreover, gene expression of collagen-I, collagen-II, and aggrecan was enhanced in the DNPM/chitosan hydrogel with TGF-β3. These results indicate that the DNPM/chitosan hybrid hydrogel is a promising candidate scaffold for nucleus pulposus tissue engineering.