title: Combination of a peptide-modified gellan gum hydrogel with cell therapy in a lumbar spinal cord injury animal model.
abstract: Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is a highly incapacitating condition for which there is still no cure. Current clinical approaches are mainly based on palliative care, so there is a need to find possible treatments to SCI. Cellular transplantation is regarded with great expectation due to the therapeutic potential of cells such as Adipose tissue-derived Stromal/Stem Cells (ASCs) or Olfactory Ensheathing Cells (OECs). Both are accessible sources and present positive paracrine and cell-to-cell interactions, previously reported by our group. Additionally, biomaterials such as hydrogels have been applied in SCI repair with promising results. We propose to combine a GRGDS-modified gellan gum hydrogel with ASCs and OECs in order to promote SCI regeneration. In vitro, ASCs and OECs could be co-cultured within GG-GRGDS hydrogels inducing a more robust neurite outgrowth when compared to controls. In vivo experiments in a hemisection SCI rat model revealed that the administration of ASCs and OECs encapsulated in a GG-GRGDS hydrogel led to significant motor improvements when compared to both control (SCI) and hydrogel alone (GG-GRGDS) groups. This was accompanied by a decreased infiltration of inflammatory cells and astrocytes, and by an increased intensity of neurofilament. These results suggest evident gains induced by the encapsulation of ASCs and OECs in GG-GRGDS based hydrogels.
authors: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Eduardo D
authors: ED
authors: Gomes
authors: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Sofia S
authors: SS
authors: Mendes
authors: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Hugo
authors: H
authors: Leite-Almeida
authors: Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Tulane University, 1430 Tulane Avenue, SL-99, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
authors: Jeffrey M
authors: JM
authors: Gimble
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, 200 College St., University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E5, Canada; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, 160 College St., University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E1, Canada.
authors: Roger Y
authors: RY
authors: Tam
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, 200 College St., University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E5, Canada; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, 160 College St., University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E1, Canada.
authors: Molly S
authors: MS
authors: Shoichet
authors: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Nuno
authors: N
authors: Sousa
authors: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
authors: Nuno A
authors: NA
authors: Silva
authors: Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal. Electronic address: asalgado@ecsaude.uminho.pt.
authors: António J
authors: AJ
authors: Salgado
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels; D009842:Oligopeptides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C048288:gellan gum; C046617:arginyl-glycyl-aspartyl-serine
keywords: Adipose tissue-derived Stromal/Stem Cells; Extracellular matrix like hydrogels; Olfactory Ensheathing Cells; Regenerative medicine; Spinal cord injury