title: Characterization of human vaginal mucosa cells for autologous in vitro cultured vaginal tissue transplantation in patients with MRKH syndrome.
abstract: Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) is a rare syndrome characterized by congenital aplasia of the uterus and vagina. The most common procedure used for surgical reconstruction of the neovagina is the McIndoe vaginoplasty, which consists in creation of a vaginal canal covered with a full-thickness skin graft. Here we characterized the autologous in vitro cultured vaginal tissue proposed as alternative material in our developed modified McIndoe vaginoplasty in order to underlie its importance in autologous total vaginal replacement. To this aim human vaginal mucosa cells (HVMs) were isolated from vaginal mucosa of patients affected by MRKH syndrome and characterized with respect to growth kinetics, morphology, PAS staining, and expression of specific epithelial markers by immunofluorescence, Western blot, and qRT-PCR analyses. The presence of specific epithelial markers along with the morphology and the presence of mucified cells demonstrated the epithelial nature of HMVs, important for an efficient epithelialization of the neovagina walls and for creating a functional vaginal cavity. Moreover, these cells presented characteristics of effective proliferation as demonstrated by growth kinetics assay. Therefore, the autologous in vitro cultured vaginal tissue might represent a highly promising and valid material for McIndoe vaginoplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nodale
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrica
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3131-948X
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vescarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sirio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Amici
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Maffucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ceccarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Benedetti Panici
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angeloni
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marchese
mesh_terms: D058489:46, XX Disorders of Sex Development / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000166:cytology; D009095:Mullerian Ducts / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014621:Vagina / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*