Pluronic F127 hydrogel-loaded extracellular vesicles from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote tracheal cartilage regeneration via SCNN1B delivery

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2024.102748
• Publication Date: 2024-04-24T06:22:24Z
• Authors: Juncheng Guo; Yijun Yang; Yang Xiang; Xueyi Guo; Shufang Zhang
• Keywords: Male; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Hydrogels; Cell Differentiation; Poloxamer; Rats; Trachea; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Extracellular Vesicles; Cartilage; Adipose Tissue; Osteogenesis; Animals; Regeneration

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSC-EVs) have been highlighted as a cell-free therapy due to their regenerative capability to enhance tissue and organ regeneration. Herein, we aimed to examine the mechanism of PF127-hydrogel@AMSC-EVs in promoting tracheal cartilage defect repair. Based on bioinformatics methods, SCNN1B was identified as a key gene for the osteogenic differentiation of AMSCs induced by AMSC-EVs. EVs were isolated from rat AMSCs and then loaded onto thermo-sensitive PF-127 hydrogel to develop PF127-hydrogel@AMSC-EVs. It was established that PF127-hydrogel@AMSC-EVs could effectively deliver SCNN1B into AMSCs, where SCNN1B promoted AMSC osteogenic differentiation. The promotive effect was evidenced by enhanced ALP activity, extracellular matrix mineralization, and expression of s-glycosaminoglycan, RUNX2, OCN, collagen II, PERK, and ATF4. Furthermore, the in vivo experiments revealed that PF127-hydrogel@AMSC-SCNN1B-EVs stimulated tracheal cartilage regeneration in rats through PERK/ATF4 signaling axis activation. Therefore, PF127-hydrogel@AMSC-SCNN1B-EVs may be a novel cell-free biomaterial to facilitate tracheal cartilage regeneration and cartilage injury repair.