title: Chitosan-Intercalated Montmorillonite/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Nanofibers as a Platform to Guide Neuronlike Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells.
abstract: In this study, we present a novel chitosan-intercalated montmorillonite/poly(vinyl alcohol) (OMMT/PVA) nanofibrous mesh as a microenvironment for guiding differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) toward neuronlike cells. The OMMT was prepared through ion exchange reaction between the montmorillonite (MMT) and chitosan. The PVA solutions containing various concentrations of OMMT were electrospun to form 3D OMMT-PVA nanofibrous meshes. The biomechanical and biological characteristics of the nanofibrous meshes were evaluated by ATR-FTIR, XRD, SEM, MTT, and LDH specific activity, contact angle, and DAPI staining. They were carried out for mechanical properties, overall viability, and toxicity of the cells. The hDPSCs were seeded on the prepared scaffolds and induced with neuronal specific differentiation media at two differentiation stages (2 days at preinduction stage and 6 days at induction stage). The neural differentiation of the cells cultured on the meshes was evaluated by determining the expression of Oct-4, Nestin, NF-M, NF-H, MAP2, and βIII-tubulin in the cells after preinduction, at induction stages by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and immunostaining. All the synthesized nanofibers exhibited a homogeneous morphology with a favorable mechanical behavior. The population of the cells differentiated into neuronlike cells in all the experimental groups was significantly higher than that in control group. The expression level of the neuronal specific markers in the cells cultured on 5% OMMT/PVA meshes was significantly higher than the other groups. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the OMMT/PVA artificial nerve graft cultured with hDPSCs for regeneration of damaged neural tissues. These fabricated matrices may have a potential in neural tissue engineering applications.
authors.forename: Hatef
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ghasemi Hamidabadi
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Research Group, Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Department, Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC) , P.O. Box 14155-4777, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rezvani
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nazm Bojnordi
authors.affiliation: Semiconductor Department, Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC) , P.O. Box 14155-4777, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Haji
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shirinzadeh
authors.affiliation: Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine Commercialisation centre (Ltd) The London BioScience Innovation Centre , London, NW1 0NH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Seifalian
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Taghi
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Joghataei
authors.affiliation: Amirkabir University of Technology , Textile Department, No. 424, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Razaghpour
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alibakhshi
authors.affiliation: Biomaterials Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Center of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology , P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abolfazl
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yazdanpanah
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salimi
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Research Group, Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Department, Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC) , P.O. Box 14155-4777, Tehran, Iran.|Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) , Tehran, Iran.|Department of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0232-352X
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mozafari
authors.affiliation: Division of Digestive and Liver Disease, Department of Medicine and Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University , New York, New York 10032, United States.
authors.forename: Aleksandra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Urbanska
authors.affiliation: 3Bs Research Group, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University of Minho , AvePark 4805-017 Barco, Guimaraes, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rui L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: 3Bs Research Group, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University of Minho , AvePark 4805-017 Barco, Guimaraes, Portugal.
authors.forename: Subhas C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kundu
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) , Tehran, Iran.|Department of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mazaher
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6287-6831
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gholipourmalekabadi
mesh_terms: D001546:Bentonite; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048271:Chitosan; D003782:Dental Pulp; D006801:Humans; D057139:Nanofibers; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D013234:Stem Cells; D023822:Tissue Engineering; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D001546:Bentonite; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: chitosan; chitosan-intercalated montmorillonite; human dental pulp stem cells; montmorillonite; nanofibrous scaffolds; neurodegenerative disorders; neuron differentiation; poly(vinyl alcohol)