Project description:Mesenchymal stromal cells were cultured in 3D PEG hydrogels for 7 days in the presence of serum-free media or conditioned media from a panel of breast cancer cells (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-231 lung-tropic, MDA-MB-231 brain-tropic, MDA-MB-231 bone-tropic). In all cases, the secretomes were collected after cancer cells were in serum-free media for 24h.
Project description:We found significant difference between the 3D-spheroid cultured- and conventionally cultured mesenchymal stem cells (3D MSCs and 2D MSCs) in terms of anti-inflammatory response and ability to secrete trophic factors, implying that 3D MSCs may better improve the tissue repair and promote functional recovery. Next-generation sequencing has revolutionized system-based analysis of cellular pathways. The aims of this study are to compare the transcriptome profile between the 3D-spheroid cultured- and conventionally cultured mesenchymal stem cells (3D MSCs and 2D MSCs).
Project description:FGF-2 is commonly used in culture media when growing mechenchymal stromal cells. Here, we cultured human MSCs from 3 donors with and without 50 ng/ml FGF-2 (Prepotech, human recombinant) in 3D PEG hydrogels, and analysed transcriptome changes by RNA sequencing.
Project description:Biologically ligands (e.g., RGDS from fibronectin: Fn-RGD) play a critical role in the development of chemically defined biomaterials. However, there has been limited progress in recent decades towards discovering novel extracellular-matrix-protein-derived ligands for translational applications. Here, by combining motif analysis of evolutionarily conserved RGD-containing regions in laminin (Ln) with functional microarray screening, we identified a Ln-derived angiogenic peptide (LDAP) that showed enhanced proangiogenic activities over commonly used Fn-RGD. Mechanistic studies using RNA-sequencing of LDAP functionalized hydrogels showed an improved angiogenic transcriptome over Fn-RGD functionalized hydrogels and high similarity to Matrigel, attributed to the ability of LDAP to engage both Ln- and Fn-binding integrins. Injectable hydrogels functionalized with LDAP, along with MMP-QK (a VEGF-mimetic peptide), exhibited increased functional recovery over decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) and alginates functionalized with Fn-RGD and MMP-QK in a mouse ischemic hindlimb model, illustrating the power of the strategy to rapidly develop potent chemically-defined biomaterials for therapeutic applications.
Project description:The influence of 2D and 3D cell culture platforms on vascular function was investigated by comparing gene expression for human pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells (H1-ECs), primary human brain vascular pericytes (pericytes), and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured on tissue culture polystyrene (TCP, “2D”), on or in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels formed via “thiol-ene” photopolymerization, and on or in gelled Matrigel. ECs cocultured with pericytes in PEG formed vascular networks with global gene expression that was highly correlated to a standard 3D Matrigel assay (Spearman’s coefficients ≥ 0.98). H1-ECs, HUVECs, and pericytes were characterized gene expression signatures associated with the cell cycle and mitosis when cultured on TCP surfaces compared to cells cultured on top of or encapsulated in PEG hydrogels or Matrigel. The proliferative signature was not necessarily a function of the 2D format, since endothelial cells cultured on PEG hydrogels were not characterized by increased proliferation or a proliferative gene signature compared to cells encapsulated in PEG hydrogels. The proliferative phenotype for H1-ECs on TCP was regulated by FAK-ERK activity, and inhibition or knockdown of ERK pathway signaling decreased proliferation and cell cycle genes while increasing expression of “3D-like” vasculature development genes. Our results suggest that cells in 2D culture adopt a highly proliferative state that interferes with normal vascular function and provides unique insight into the importance of cellular and extracellular context for in vitro tissue modeling.
Project description:Alveolar type 2 epithelial cells (AT2s) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iAT2s) have rapidly contributed to our understanding of AT2 function and disease. However, as iAT2s are primarily cultured in three-dimensional (3D) Matrigel, a matrix derived from cancerous mouse tissue, it is unclear the impact a physiologically relevant matrix will have on iAT2s. Herein, we derive hydrogels from decellularized human lung alveolar-enriched extracellular matrix (aECM) to provide a relevant ex vivo model for the 3D culture of iAT2s. We demonstrate aECM hydrogels retain critical in situ ECM components, including structural and basement membrane proteins. While aECM hydrogels facilitate iAT2 proliferation and alveolosphere formation, a subset of iAT2s rapidly change morphology to thin and elongated ring-like cells. This morphological change correlates with upregulation of recently described iAT2-derived transitional cell state genetic markers. As such, we demonstrate a potentially underappreciated role of physiologically relevant aECM in iAT2 differentiation.
Project description:Human salivary gland organoids have opened tremendous possibilities for regenerative medicine in patients undergoing radiotherapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer. However, their clinical translation is greatly limited by the current use of Matrigel for organoid derivation and expansion. Here, we envisage that the use of a fully, synthetic hydrogel based on the oligo(-ethylene glycol) functionalized polymer polyisocyanopeptides (PICs) can provide an environment suitable for the generation and expansion of salivary gland organoids (SGOs) after optimization of PIC polymer properties. We demonstrate that PIC hydrogels decorated with the cell-binding peptide RGD allow SGO formation from salivary gland (SG)-derived stem cells. This self-renewal potential is preserved for only 4 passages. It was found that SGOs differentiated prematurely in PIC hydrogels affecting their self-renewal capacity. Similarly, SGOs show decreased expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) after culture in PIC hydrogels. Activation of multiple signalling pathways involved in IEG expression by β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol, led to increased stem cell self-renewal capacity as measured by organoid forming efficiency (OFE). These results indicate that PIC hydrogels are promising 3D matrices for SGOs, with the option to be used clinically, after further optimization of the hydrogel and culture conditions.
Project description:We hypothesized that generating spinal motor neurons (sMNs) from human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural aggregates (NAs) using a chemically-defined differentiation protocol would be more effective inside of 3D fibrin hydrogels compared to 2D poly-L-ornithine(PLO)/laminin-coated tissue culture plastic surfaces. We performed targeted RNA-Seq using next generation sequencing to determine the substrate-specific differences in gene expression that regulate cell phenotype. Cells cultured on both substrates expressed sMN genes CHAT and MNX1, though persistent WNT signaling contributed to a higher expression of genes associated with interneurons in NAs cultured in 3D fibrin scaffolds. Cells in fibrin also expressed lower levels of astrocyte progenitor genes and higher levels of the neuronal-specific gene TUBB3, suggesting a purer population of neurons compared to 2D cultures. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Fibrin scaffolds can support the neuronal differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. This study provides insight into how fibrin hydrogels affect neuronal induction by analyzing of the signaling pathways activated during the differentiation process. These insights can then be used to tailor the properties of these hydrogels to optimize the generation of sMNs for regenerative medicine applications.
Project description:We report RNA sequencing data from adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hASCs) functionalized via metabolic glycoengineering with pendant azide sialosides. Beyond the impact of this cell surface engineering on transcriptome, we explore the expression profiles of azide-hASCs covalently tethered to an interfacial glycosaminoglycan via bioorthogonal click chemistry and yielding a 3D multicellular construct. We find global gene expression changes in response to metabolic glycoengineering in 2D cell culture conditions as well as those arising from cell-to-cell tethering into 3D environments.
Project description:Modifiable hydrogels have revealed tremendous insight into how physical characteristics of cells’ 3D environment drive stem cell lineage specification. However, in native tissues, cells do not passively receive signals from their niche. Instead they actively probe and modify their pericellular space to suit their needs, yet the dynamics of cells’ reciprocal interactions with their pericellular matrix when encapsulated within hydrogels remains relatively unexplored. Here, we show that human bone marrow stromal cells (hMSC) encapsulated within hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels modify their pericellular environment through degradation and/or protein secretion, imparting them with similar pericellular stiffnesses, regardless of initial hydrogel properties. These cell-secreted pericellular matrices play a role in regulating hMSC fate, with secretion of a stiff proteinaceous pericellular matrix associated with adipogenesis, and degradation with osteogenesis. Our observations suggest that hMSC participate in a bi-directional interplay between the properties of their 3D milieu and their own secreted pericellular matrix, and that this combination of interactions drives fate.