| 1. |
- He, Min, et al.
(författare)
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Artificial Polymeric Scaffolds as Extracellular Matrix Substitutes for Autologous Conjunctival Goblet Cell Expansion
- 2016
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. - : ASSOC RESEARCH VISION OPHTHALMOLOGY INC. - 0146-0404 .- 1552-5783. ; 57:14, s. 6134-6146
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE. We fabricated and investigated polymeric scaffolds that can substitute for the conjunctival extracellular matrix to provide a substrate for autologous expansion of human conjunctival goblet cells in culture. METHODS. We fabricated two hydrogels and two silk films: (1) recombinant human collagen (RHC) hydrogel, (2) recombinant human collagen 2-methacryloylxyethyl phosphorylcholine (RHC-MPC) hydrogel, (3) arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) modified silk, and (4) poly-D-lysine (PDL) coated silk, and four electrospun scaffolds: (1) collagen, (2) poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), (3) poly(caprolactone) (PCL), and (4) poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). Coverslips and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were used for comparison. Human conjunctival explants were cultured on scaffolds for 9 to 15 days. Cell viability, outgrowth area, and the percentage of cells expressing markers for stratified squamous epithelial cells (cytokeratin 4) and goblet cells (cytokeratin 7) were determined. RESULTS. Most of cells grown on all scaffolds were viable except for PCL in which only 3.6 +/- 2.2% of the cells were viable. No cells attached to PVA scaffold. The outgrowth was greatest on PDL-silk and PET. Outgrowth was smallest on PCL. All cells were CK7-positive on RHCMPC while 84.7 +/- 6.9% of cells expressed CK7 on PDL-silk. For PCL, 87.10 +/- 3.17% of cells were CK7-positive compared to PET where 67.10 +/- 12.08% of cells were CK7-positive cells. CONCLUSIONS. Biopolymer substrates in the form of hydrogels and silk films provided for better adherence, proliferation, and differentiation than the electrospun scaffolds and could be used for conjunctival goblet cell expansion for eventual transplantation once undifferentiated and stratified squamous cells are included. Useful polymer scaffold design characteristics have emerged from this study.
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| 2. |
- Patra, Hirak Kumar, 1981-, et al.
(författare)
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Rational Nanotoolbox with Theranostic Potential for Medicated Pro-Regenerative Corneal Implants
- 2019
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Ingår i: Advanced Functional Materials. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1616-301X .- 1616-3028. ; 29:38
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cornea diseases are a leading cause of blindness and the disease burden is exacerbated by the increasing shortage around the world for cadaveric donor corneas. Despite the advances in the field of regenerative medicine, successful transplantation of laboratory‐made artificial corneas is not fully realized in clinical practice. The causes of failure of such artificial corneal implants are multifactorial and include latent infections from viruses and other microbes, enzyme overexpression, implant degradation, extrusion or delayed epithelial regeneration. Therefore, there is an urgent unmet need for developing customized corneal implants to suit the host environment and counter the effects of inflammation or infection, which are able to track early signs of implant failure in situ. This work reports a nanotoolbox comprising tools for protection from infection, promotion of regeneration, and noninvasive monitoring of the in situ corneal environment. These nanosystems can be incorporated within pro‐regenerative biosynthetic implants, transforming them into theranostic devices, which are able to respond to biological changes following implantation.
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| 3. |
- Buznyk, Oleksiy, et al.
(författare)
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Collagen-based scaffolds with infused anti-VEGF release system as potential cornea substitute for high-risk keratoplasty: A preliminary in vitro evaluation
- 2020
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Ingår i: Heliyon. - : ELSEVIER SCI LTD. - 2405-8440. ; 6:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Currently the only widely accepted corneal blindness treatment is human donor cornea transplantation. However, increasing shortage of donor corneas as well as high risk of rejection in some corneal diseases remain two major problems, which limit the success of corneal transplantation. Corneal neovascularization is considered as one of the main risk factors of graft failure. Different cell-free biosynthetic scaffolds fabricated from collagens or collagen-like peptides are being tested as donor cornea substitutes (DCS). Here, we report for the first-time composite biosynthetic DCS with integrated sustained release system of anti-VEGF drug, bevacizumab and their preliminary in vitro validation. We have tethered gold nanoparticles with bevacizumab and integrated into a collagen-based cell-free hydrogel scaffold. Developed grafts preserved good optical properties and were confirmed not toxic to human corneal epithelial cells. Bevacizumab has been shown to constantly releasing from the DCS up to 3 weeks and preserved its anti-angiogenic properties. These results provide background for further use of infused composite biosynthetic DCS with integrated nanosystem of bevacizumab sustained release in corneal disease accompanied by neovascularisation where conventional corneal transplantation might fail.
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| 4. |
- Islam, Mohammad Mirazul, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of gamma radiation sterilization on the structural and biological properties of decellularized corneal xenografts
- 2019
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Ingår i: Acta Biomaterialia. - : Elsevier. - 1742-7061 .- 1878-7568. ; 96, s. 330-344
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To address the shortcomings associated with corneal transplants, substantial efforts have been focused on developing new modalities such as xenotransplantion. Xenogeneic corneas are anatomically and biomechanically similar to the human cornea, yet their applications require prior decellularization to remove the antigenic components to avoid rejection. In the context of bringing decellularized corneas into clinical use, sterilization is a crucial step that determines the success of the transplantation. Well-standardized sterilization methods, such as gamma irradiation (GI), have been applied to decellularized porcine corneas (DPC) to avoid graft-associated infections in human recipients. However, little is known about the effect of GI on decellularized corneal xenografts. Here, we evaluated the radiation effect on the ultrastructure, optical, mechanical and biological properties of DPC. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that gamma irradiated decellularized porcine cornea (G-DPC) preserved its structural integrity. Moreover, the radiation did not reduce the optical properties of the tissue. Neither DPC nor G-DPC led to further activation of complement system compared to native porcine cornea when exposed to plasma. Although, DPC were mechanically comparable to the native tissue, GI increased the mechanical strength, tissue hydrophobicity and resistance to enzymatic degradation. Despite these changes, human corneal epithelial, stromal, endothelial and hybrid neuroblastoma cells grew and differentiated on DPC and G-DPC. Thus, GI may achieve effective tissue sterilization without affecting critical properties that are essential for corneal transplant survival. (C) 2019 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 5. |
- Islam, Rakibul, et al.
(författare)
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Combined blockade of complement C5 and TLR co-receptor CD14 synergistically inhibits pig-to-human corneal xenograft induced innate inflammatory responses
- 2021
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Ingår i: Acta Biomaterialia. - : Elsevier. - 1742-7061 .- 1878-7568. ; 127, s. 169-179
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Inadequate supplies of donor corneas have evoked an escalating interest in corneal xenotransplantation. However, innate immune responses contribute significantly to the mechanism of xenograft rejection. We hypothesized that complement component C5 and TLR co-receptor CD14 inhibition would inhibit porcine cornea induced innate immune responses. Therefore, we measured cytokine release in human blood, induced by three forms of corneal xenografts with or without inhibitors. Native porcine cornea (NPC) induced interleukins (IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-1ra), chemokines (MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta) and other cytokines (TNF, G-CSF, INF-gamma, FGF-basic). Decellularized (DPC) and gamma-irradiated cornea (g-DPC) elevated the release of those cytokines. C5-blockade by eculizumab inhibited all the cytokines except G-CSF when induced by NPC. However, C5-blockade failed to reduce DPC and g-DPC induced cytokines. Blockade of CD14 inhibited DPC-induced cytokines except for IL-8, MCP-1, MIP-1 alpha, and G-CSF, while it inhibited all of them when induced by g-DPC. Combined blockade of C5 and CD14 inhibited the maximum number of cytokines regardless of the xenograft type. Finally, by using the TLR4 specific inhibitor Eritoran, we showed that TLR4 activation was the basis for the CD14 effect. Thus, blockade of C5, when combined with TLR4 inhibition, may have therapeutic potential in pig-to-human corneal xenotransplantation. Statement of significance Bio-engineered corneal xenografts are on the verge of becoming a viable alternative to allogenic human donor-cornea, but the host's innate immune response is still a critical barrier for graft acceptance. By overruling this barrier, limited graft availability would no longer be an issue for treating corneal diseases. We showed that the xenograft induced inflammation is initiated by the complement system and toll-like receptor activation. Intriguingly, the inflammatory response was efficiently blocked by simultaneously targeting bottleneck molecules in the complement system (C5) and the TLR co-receptor CD14 with pharmaceutical inhibitors. We postulate that a combination of C5 and CD14 inhibition could have a great therapeutic potential to overcome the immunologic barrier in pig-to-human corneal xenotransplantation. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Acta Materialia Inc.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Jangamreddy, Jaganmohan, et al.
(författare)
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Short peptide analogs as alternatives to collagen in pro-regenerative corneal implants
- 2018
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Ingår i: Acta Biomaterialia. - : Elsevier. - 1742-7061 .- 1878-7568. ; 69, s. 120-130
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Short collagen-like peptides (CLPs) are being proposed as alternatives to full-length collagen for use in tissue engineering, on their own as soft hydrogels, or conjugated to synthetic polymer for mechanical strength. However, despite intended clinical use, little is known about their safety and efficacy, mechanism of action or degree of similarity to the full-length counterparts they mimic. Here, we show the functional equivalence of a CLP conjugated to polyethylene glycol (CLP-PEG) to full-length recombinant human collagen in vitro and in promoting stable regeneration of corneal tissue and nerves in a preclinical mini-pig model. We also show that these peptide analogs exerted their pro-regeneration effects through stimulating extracellular vesicle production by host cells. Our results support future use of CLP-PEG implants for corneal regeneration, suggesting the feasibility of these or similar peptide analogs in clinical application in the eye and other tissues.
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| 8. |
- Malhotra, Kamal, et al.
(författare)
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Phosphorylcholine and KR12-Containing Corneal Implants in HSV-1-Infected Rabbit Corneas
- 2023
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Ingår i: Pharmaceutics. - : MDPI. - 1999-4923. ; 15:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Severe HSV-1 infection can cause blindness due to tissue damage from severe inflammation. Due to the high risk of graft failure in HSV-1-infected individuals, cornea transplantation to restore vision is often contraindicated. We tested the capacity for cell-free biosynthetic implants made from recombinant human collagen type III and 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (RHCIII-MPC) to suppress inflammation and promote tissue regeneration in the damaged corneas. To block viral reactivation, we incorporated silica dioxide nanoparticles releasing KR12, the small bioactive core fragment of LL37, an innate cationic host defense peptide produced by corneal cells. KR12 is more reactive and smaller than LL37, so more KR12 molecules can be incorporated into nanoparticles for delivery. Unlike LL37, which was cytotoxic, KR12 was cell-friendly and showed little cytotoxicity at doses that blocked HSV-1 activity in vitro, instead enabling rapid wound closure in cultures of human epithelial cells. Composite implants released KR12 for up to 3 weeks in vitro. The implant was also tested in vivo on HSV-1-infected rabbit corneas where it was grafted by anterior lamellar keratoplasty. Adding KR12 to RHCIII-MPC did not reduce HSV-1 viral loads or the inflammation resulting in neovascularization. Nevertheless, the composite implants reduced viral spread sufficiently to allow stable corneal epithelium, stroma, and nerve regeneration over a 6-month observation period.
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| 9. |
- Moelzer, Christine, et al.
(författare)
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Activation of dendritic cells by crosslinked collagen hydrogels (artificial corneas) varies with their composition
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. - : WILEY. - 1932-6254 .- 1932-7005. ; 13:9, s. 1528-1543
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Activated T cells are known to promote fibrosis, a major complication limiting the range of polymeric hydrogels as artificial corneal implants. As T cells are activated by dendritic cells (DC), minimally activating hydrogels would be optimal. In this study, we evaluated the ability of a series of engineered (manufactured/fabricated) and natural collagen matrices to either activate DC or conversely induce DC apoptosis in vitro. Bone marrow DC were cultured on a series of singly and doubly crosslinked hydrogels (made from recombinant human collagen III [RHCIII] or collagen mimetic peptide [CMP]) or on natural collagen-containing matrices, Matrigel(TM) and de-cellularised mouse corneal stroma. DC surface expression of major histocompatibility complex Class II and CD86 as well as apoptosis markers were examined. Natural matrices induced low levels of DC activation and maintained a "tolerogenic" phenotype. The same applied to singly crosslinked CMP-PEG gels. RHCIII gels singly crosslinked using either N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N -ethylcarbodiimide with the coinitiator N-hydroxy succinimide (EDC-NHS) or N-cyclohexyl-N-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide metho-p-toulenesulfonate with NHS (CMC-NHS) induced varying levels of DC activation. In contrast, however, RHCIII hydrogels incorporating an additional polymeric network of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine did not activate DC but instead induced DC apoptosis, a phenomenon observed in natural matrices. This correlated with increased DC expression of leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor-1. Despite low immunogenic potential, viable tolerogenic DC migrated into and through both natural and manufactured RHCIII gels. These data show that the immunogenic potential of RHCIII gels varies with the nature and composition of the gel. Preclinical evaluation of hydrogel immunogenic/fibrogenic potential is recommended.
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| 10. |
- Patra, Hirak Kumar, et al.
(författare)
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Inflammation-sensitive in situ smart scaffolding for regenerative medicine
- 2016
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Ingår i: Nanoscale. - : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 2040-3364 .- 2040-3372. ; 8:39, s. 17213-17222
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To cope with the rapid evolution of the tissue engineering field, it is now essential to incorporate the use of on-site responsive scaffolds. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to find new 'Intelligent' biomaterials that can respond to the physicochemical changes in the microenvironment. In this present report, we have developed biocompatible stimuli responsive polyaniline-multiwalled carbon nanotube/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), (PANI-MWCNT/PNIPAm) composite nanofiber networks and demonstrated the physiological temperature coordinated cell grafting phenomenon on its surface. The composite nanofibers were prepared by a two-step process initiated with an assisted in situ polymerization followed by electrospinning. To obtain a smooth surface in individual nanofibers with the thinnest diameter, the component ratios and electrospinning conditions were optimized. The temperature-gated rearrangements of the molecular structure are characterized by FTIR spectroscopy with simultaneous macromolecular architecture changes reflected on the surface morphology, average diameter and pore size as determined by scanning electron microscopy. The stimuli responsiveness of the nanofibers has first been optimized with computational modeling of temperature sensitive components (coil-like and globular conformations) to tune the mechanism for temperature dependent interaction during in situ scaffolding with the cell membrane. The nanofiber networks show excellent biocompatibility, tested with fibroblasts and also show excellent sensitivity to inflammation to combat loco-regional acidosis that delay the wound healing process by an in vitro model that has been developed for testing the proposed responsiveness of the composite nanofiber networks. Cellular adhesion and detachment are regulated through physiological temperature and show normal proliferation of the grafted cells on the composite nanofibers. Thus, we report for the first time, the development of physiological temperature gated inflammation-sensitive smart biomaterials for advanced tissue regeneration and regenerative medicine.
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| 11. |
- Sharifi, Sina, et al.
(författare)
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Electron Beam Sterilization of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)-Physicochemical and Biological Aspects
- 2021
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Ingår i: Macromolecular Bioscience. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1616-5187 .- 1616-5195. ; 21:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Electron beam (E-beam) irradiation is an attractive and efficient method for sterilizing clinically implantable medical devices made of natural and/or synthetic materials such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). As ionizing irradiation can affect the physicochemical properties of PMMA, understanding the consequences of E-beam sterilization on the intrinsic properties of PMMA is vital for clinical implementation. A detailed assessment of the chemical, optical, mechanical, morphological, and biological properties of medical-grade PMMA after E-beam sterilization at 25 and 50 kiloGray (kGy) is reported. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry studies indicate that E-beam irradiation has minimal effect on the chemical properties of the PMMA at these doses. While 25 kGy irradiation does not alter the mechanical and optical properties of the PMMA, 50 kGy reduces the flexural strength and transparency by 10% and 2%, respectively. Atomic force microscopy demonstrates that E-beam irradiation reduces the surface roughness of PMMA in a dose dependent manner. Live-Dead, AlamarBlue, immunocytochemistry, and complement activation studies show that E-beam irradiation up to 50 kGy has no adverse effect on the biocompatibility of the PMMA. These findings suggest that E-beam irradiation at 25 kGy may be a safe and efficient alternative for PMMA sterilization.
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| 12. |
- Sharifi, Sina, et al.
(författare)
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Sputter Deposition of Titanium on Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Enhances Corneal Biocompatibility
- 2020
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Ingår i: Translational Vision Science & Technology. - : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. - 2164-2591. ; 9:13, s. 1-14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To evaluate titanium (Ti) sputtering of the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) stem of the Boston Keratoprosthesis (BK) as a method to enhance interfacial adhesion between the PMMA and the recipient corneal tissue. Methods: PMMA specimens were plasma treated with Ar/O-2 and coated with Ti using a DC magnetron sputtering instrument. The topography and hydrophilicity of the surfaces were characterized using atomic force microscopy and a water contact angle instrument, respectively. Scratch hardness and adhesion of the Ti film were measured using a mechanical tester. Biocompatibility assessments were performed using cultured human corneal fibroblasts and whole blood ex vivo. The optical quality of the Ti sputtered BK was evaluated using a custom-made optical bench. Results: By contact angle studies, the Ti coating improved PMMA hydrophilicity to match that of medical-grade Ti (Ti-6Al-4V-ELI). Ti sputtering of contact surfaces resulted in a plate-like morphology with increased surface roughness, without impacting the transparency of the BK optical component. Scratch testing indicated that the mechanical behavior of the Ti coating was similar to that of casted Ti, and the coating was stable in pull-off adhesion testing. Sputtered Ti film was highly biocompatible based on tests of cell viability, adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, collagen deposition, and keratocan expression, the properties of which exceeded those of uncoated PMMA and did not induce increased complement activation. Conclusions: Titanium coating of the BK stem generated a mechanically and biologically favorable interface, which may help to enhance corneal stromal adhesion and biocompatibility. Translational Relevance: Improving the biocompatibility of the BK PMMA stem may improve long-term outcomes of implantation.
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| 13. |
- Sharifi, Sina, et al.
(författare)
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Tuning gelatin-based hydrogel towards bioadhesive ocular tissue engineering applications
- 2021
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Ingår i: Bioactive Materials. - : Elsevier. - 2452-199X. ; 6:11, s. 3947-3961
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gelatin based adhesives have been used in the last decades in different biomedical applications due to the excellent biocompatibility, easy processability, transparency, non-toxicity, and reasonable mechanical properties to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM). Gelatin adhesives can be easily tuned to gain different viscoelastic and mechanical properties that facilitate its ocular application. We herein grafted glycidyl methacrylate on the gelatin backbone with a simple chemical modification of the precursor, utilizing epoxide ring-opening reactions and visible light-crosslinking. This chemical modification allows the obtaining of an elastic protein-based hydrogel (GELGYM) with excellent biomimetic properties, approaching those of the native tissue. GELGYM can be modulated to be stretched up to 4 times its initial length and withstand high tensile stresses up to 1.95 MPa with compressive strains as high as 80% compared to Gelatin-methacryloyl (GeIMA), the most studied derivative of gelatin used as a bioadhesive. GELGYM is also highly biocompatible and supports cellular adhesion, proliferation, and migration in both 2 and 3-dimensional cell-cultures. These characteristics along with its super adhesion to biological tissues such as cornea, aorta, heart, muscle, kidney, liver, and spleen suggest widespread applications of this hydrogel in many biomedical areas such as transplantation, tissue adhesive, wound dressing, bioprinting, and drug and cell delivery.
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| 14. |
- Simpson, Fiona, et al.
(författare)
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Electron-Beam Irradiated Recombinant Human Collagen-Phosphorylcholine Corneal Implants Retain Pro-Regeneration Capacity
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-4185. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sterilization of biodegradable, collagen-based implants is challenging as irradiation sterilization methods can alter their mechanical properties. Electron beam (EB) irradiation is a terminal sterilization method that has been used for biologically-derived implants. Here, recombinant human collagen type III-phosphorylcholine (RHCIII-MPC) hydrogels were irradiated with EB doses of 17, 19, or 21 kGy and their subsequent biocompatibility and ability to promote regeneration in rabbit corneas was evaluated. Unirradiated hydrogels stored in 1% chloroform in phosphate-buffered saline (C-PBS) were the controls. There were no significant differences between irradiated and non-irradiated samples in optical or physical properties (tensile strength, modulus, elasticity), or the ability to support cell growth. However, irradiated implants were more sensitive to high levels of collagenase than unirradiated controls and the C-PBS implants had increased cell growth compared to EB and controls at 72 h. Corneal implants e-beamed at 17 kGy or e-beamed and subsequently frozen (EB-F) to increase shelf-life showed no adverse biological effects of the irradiation. EB, EB-F, and C-PBS implanted corneas all rapidly re-epithelialized but showed mild neovascularization that resolved over 6 months. The regenerated neo-corneas were transparent at 6 months post-operation. In vivo confocal microscopy confirmed normal morphology for the epithelium, stroma, sub-basal nerves and unoperated endothelium. Histology showed that all the regenerated corneas were morphologically similar to the normal. Immunohistochemistry indicated the presence of a differentiated corneal epithelium and functional tear film. In conclusion, the e-beamed corneal implants performed as well as non-irradiated control implants, resulting in fully regenerated neo-corneas with new nerves and without blood vessels or inflammation that may impede vision or corneal function. Therefore, a complete validation study to establish EB irradiation as an effective means for corneal implant sterilization prior to clinical application is necessary as a next step.
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| 15. |
- Buznyk, Oleksiy, et al.
(författare)
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Bioengineered Corneas Grafted as Alternatives to Human Donor Corneas in Three High-Risk Patients
- 2015
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Ingår i: Clinical and Translational Science. - : WILEY-BLACKWELL. - 1752-8054 .- 1752-8062. ; 8:5, s. 558-562
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Corneas with severe pathologies have a high risk of rejection when conventionally grafted with human donor tissues. In this early observational study, we grafted bioengineered corneal implants made from recombinant human collagen and synthetic phosphorylcholine polymer into three patients for whom donor cornea transplantation carried a high risk of transplant failure. These patients suffered from corneal ulcers and recurrent erosions preoperatively. The implants provided relief from pain and discomfort, restored corneal integrity by promoting endogenous regeneration of corneal tissues, and improved vision in two of three patients. Such implants could in the future be alternatives to donor corneas for high-risk patients, and therefore, merits further testing in a clinical trial.
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| 16. |
- Hayes, Sally, et al.
(författare)
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The structural and optical properties of type III human collagen biosynthetic corneal substitutes
- 2015
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Ingår i: Acta Biomaterialia. - : ELSEVIER SCI LTD. - 1742-7061 .- 1878-7568. ; 25, s. 121-130
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The structural and optical properties of clinically biocompatible, cell-free hydrogels comprised of synthetically cross-linked and moulded recombinant human collagen type III (RHCIII) with and without the incorporation of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) were assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray scattering, spectroscopy and refractometry. These findings were examined alongside similarly obtained data from 21 human donor corneas. TEM demonstrated the presence of loosely bundled aggregates of fine collagen filaments within both RHCIII and RHCIII-MPC implants, which X-ray scattering showed to lack D-banding and be preferentially aligned in a uniaxial orientation throughout. This arrangement differs from the predominantly biaxial alignment of collagen fibrils that exists in the human cornea. By virtue of their high water content (90%), very fine collagen filaments (2-9 nm) and lack of cells, the collagen hydrogels were found to transmit almost all incident light in the visible spectrum. They also transmitted a large proportion of UV light compared to the cornea which acts as an effective UV filter. Patients implanted with these hydrogels should be cautious about UV exposure prior to regrowth of the epithelium and in-growth of corneal cells into the implants. (C) 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
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| 17. |
- Islam, Mohammad Mirazul, 1984-, et al.
(författare)
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Biomaterials-enabled cornea regeneration in patients at high risk for rejection of donor tissue transplantation
- 2018
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Ingår i: NPJ Regenerative medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2057-3995. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The severe worldwide shortage of donor organs, and severe pathologies placing patients at high risk for rejecting conventional cornea transplantation, have left many corneal blind patients untreated. Following successful pre-clinical evaluation in mini-pigs, we tested a biomaterials-enabled pro-regeneration strategy to restore corneal integrity in an open-label observational study of six patients. Cell-free corneal implants comprising recombinant human collagen and phosphorylcholine were grafted by anterior lamellar keratoplasty into corneas of unilaterally blind patients diagnosed at high-risk for rejecting donor allografts. They were followed-up for a mean of 24 months. Patients with acute disease (ulceration) were relieved of pain and discomfort within 1-2 weeks post-operation. Patients with scarred or ulcerated corneas from severe infection showed better vision improvement, followed by corneas with burns. Corneas with immune or degenerative conditions transplanted for symptom relief only showed no vision improvement overall. However, grafting promoted nerve regeneration as observed by improved touch sensitivity to near normal levels in all patients tested, even for those with little/no sensitivity before treatment. Overall, three out of six patients showed significant vision improvement. Others were sufficiently stabilized to allow follow-on surgery to restore vision. Grafting outcomes in mini-pig corneas were superior to those in human subjects, emphasizing that animal models are only predictive for patients with non-severely pathological corneas; however, for establishing parameters such as stable corneal tissue and nerve regeneration, our pig model is satisfactory. While further testing is merited, we have nevertheless shown that cell-free implants are potentially safe, efficacious options for treating high-risk patients.
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| 18. |
- Islam, Mohammad Mirazul, et al.
(författare)
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Fabrication of a human recombinant collagen-based corneal substitute using carbodiimide chemistry
- 2013
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Ingår i: Methods in Molecular Biology. - Totowa, NJ : Humana Press. - 1064-3745 .- 1940-6029. - 9781627034319 ; 1014, s. 157-164
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human recombinant collagen can be cross-linked with a variety of chemical cross-linking agents. Cross-linking methods can be tuned to confer collagen-based scaffolds with specific physical properties, improved antigenicity and thermal stability without impeding the ability of the material to integrate into the surrounding tissue and to promote regeneration. Here, we describe a method to cross-link human recombinant collagen using a water soluble carbodiimide. Carbodiimides are referred to as zero-length cross-linking agents as they are not incorporated into the final cross-link and thus pose minimal risk with respect to cytotoxicity. The resulting collagen-based scaffold possesses properties comparable to that of the human cornea and is thus suitable for use as a corneal substitute.
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| 19. |
- Islam, Mohammad Mirazul
(författare)
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Multifunctional biomimetic materials for corneal regeneration
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye, which is responsible for transmitting 95% of the incident light to the retina for vision and provides 70% of the focusing power of the eye. Corneal disease is a primary cause of blindness worldwide. Replacing the pathologic cornea with a donor cornea is the most accepted treatment, but there is a severe shortage of donor tissue, resulting in an extensive waiting list for transplantation of over 10 million people. In this thesis, we worked on the development of artificial corneas to solve the donor shortage issue. Although an artificial cornea made from carbodiimide crosslinked recombinant human collagen developed within our lab was successfully transplanted into 10 patients in a clinical trial, this material was not tough enough to withstand severe disease conditions where inflammation is present, and where enzymes secreted can cause premature implant degradation. To improve mechanical strength and material stability, a secondary network of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) biopolymer was incorporated within the collagen hydrogel, forming an interpenetrating network (IPN). High resolution transmission electron microscopy showed that the implants comprised loosely bundled collagen filaments. X-ray scattering further revealed that the collagen fibrils within the implants were uniaxially oriented, whereas a biaxial alignment is present within the human cornea. This fibril arrangement resulted in highly transparent implants that transmitted virtually all incoming light of visible spectra together with a large proportion of UV light. This study is critical in a sense that it strongly suggests that all patients transplanted with this artificial cornea should take the precaution to use UV protection prior to re-growth of the epithelium, which is known to absorb harmful UV rays. To determine the utility of the implants for clinical use, we showed that they could be cut with a femtosecond laser. Laser excision of diseased patient tissue avoids damage to the surrounding healthy tissue, thereby circumventing excessive, undesirable inflammatory responses associated with the manual surgical technique while the cutting of a matched implant allows for precise host-graft apposition and seamless regeneration. We also showed that the surface of the implants could be modified to enhance rapid and stable epithelial growth. We demonstrated that we could pattern the implants surfaces using microcontact printing with fibronectin as “ink”. The dimensions of the patterned stripes were important in controlling corneal epithelial cell behavior including proliferation. This is important to ensure rapid wound healing and hence, an overall superior clinical outcome. In all of the above materials, the collagen was crosslinked with N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)- N'-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). EDC is a zero-length crosslinker and while it produces a sufficiently robust hydrogel for clinical implantation, suturability was still an issue. To enhance suturability, we evaluated the effects of an epoxy-based crosslinker, 1,4-Butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE), which has been shown to result in collagen hydrogels with enhanced elasticity. As neuronal ingrowth into the hydrogels and epithelial cell coverage are important considerations in achieving regeneration, we examined the effects of incorporation of short cell adhesive laminin peptides within the BDDGE-crosslinked hydrogels. We showed that incorporation of YIGSR and IKVAV peptides enhanced the proliferation of corneal epithelial cells and neuronal progenitor cells, respectively. Although artificial corneas made from collagen have been successfully tested in the clinic, animal-derived collagens, in general, come from very heterogeneous sources and carry a risk of pathogen transmission. Use of recombinant human collagens mitigates those issues but just like native collagens; they are large macromolecules, relatively inert and therefore difficult to chemically alter to design in new functionalities. They are difficult and hence expensive to produce. Collagen-like peptides (CLP), also known as collagen mimetic peptides, are relatively short sequences that have been designed to replicate and reproduce the function of full-length collagen. We examined the safety and efficacy of one such CLP that we had conjugated to polyethylene glycol-maleimide (PEG) as implants for promoting corneal regeneration in mini-pig models. This CLP-PEG implants promoted the regeneration of corneal epithelial and stromal cells from endogenous progenitors, as well as cornea nerves to form a stable neo-cornea. The use of fully synthetic materials that can be produced under a tightly controlled environment such as CLP-PEG mitigates safety issues associated with native collagen from animal or human sources, as well as makes production sufficiently costeffective to allow for future scale-up.
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| 20. |
- Islam, Mohammad Mirazul, et al.
(författare)
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Self-assembled collagen-like-peptide implants as alternatives to human donor corneal transplantation
- 2016
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - : ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY. - 2046-2069. ; 6:61, s. 55745-55749
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Extracellular matrix proteins like collagen promote regeneration as implants in clinical studies. However, collagens are large and unwieldy proteins, making small functional peptide analogs potentially ideal substitutes. Self-assembling collagen-like-peptides conjugated with PEG-maleimide were assembled into hydrogels. When tested pre-clinically as corneal implants in mini-pigs, they promoted cell and nerve regeneration, forming neo-corneas structurally and functionally similar to natural corneas.
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| 21. |
- Koh, Li Buay, et al.
(författare)
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Epoxy Cross-Linked Collagen and Collagen-Laminin Peptide Hydrogels as Corneal Substitutes
- 2013
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Ingår i: Journal of Functional Biomaterials. - Basel, Switzerland : MDPI AG. - 2079-4983. ; 4:3, s. 162-177
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A bi-functional epoxy-based cross-linker, 1,4-Butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE), was investigated in the fabrication of collagen based corneal substitutes. Two synthetic strategies were explored in the preparation of the cross-linked collagen scaffolds. The lysine residues of Type 1 porcine collagen were directly cross-linked using l,4-Butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE) under basic conditions at pH 11. Alternatively, under conventional methodology, using both BDDGE and 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) as cross-linkers, hydrogels were fabricated under acidic conditions. In this latter strategy, Cu(BF4)2·XH2O was used to catalyze the formation of secondary amine bonds. To date, we have demonstrated that both methods of chemical cross-linking improved the elasticity and tensile strength of the collagen implants. Differential scanning calorimetry and biocompatibility studies indicate comparable, and in some cases, enhanced properties compared to that of the EDC/NHS controls. In vitro studies showed that human corneal epithelial cells and neuronal progenitor cell lines proliferated on these hydrogels. In addition, improvement of cell proliferation on the surfaces of the materials was observed when neurite promoting laminin epitope, IKVAV, and adhesion peptide, YIGSR, were incorporated. However, the elasticity decreased with peptide incorporation and will require further optimization. Nevertheless, we have shown that epoxy cross-linkers should be further explored in the fabrication of collagen-based hydrogels, as alternatives to or in conjunction with carbodiimide cross-linkers.
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| 22. |
- Lee, Chyan-Jang, et al.
(författare)
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Cathelicidin LL-37 and HSV-1 Corneal Infection : Peptide Versus Gene Therapy
- 2014
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Ingår i: Translational Vision Science & Technology. - : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. - 2164-2591. ; 3:3, s. 1-14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To evaluate the potential utility of collagen-based corneal implants with anti?Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)-1 activity achieved through sustained release of LL-37, from incorporated nanoparticles, as compared with cell-based delivery from model human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) transfected to produce endogenous LL-37. Methods: We tested the ability of collagen-phosphorylcholine implants to tolerate the adverse microenvironment of herpetic murine corneas. Then, we investigated the efficacy of LL-37 peptides delivered through nanoparticles incorporated within the corneal implants to block HSV-1 viral activity. In addition, LL-37 complementary DNA (cDNA) was transferred into HCECs to confer viral resistance, and their response to HSV-1 infection was examined. Results: Our implants remained in herpetic murine corneas 7 days longer than allografts. LL-37 released from the implants blocked HSV-1 infection of HCECs by interfering with viral binding. However, in pre-infected HCECs, LL-37 delayed but could not prevent viral spreading nor clear viruses from the infected cells. HCECs transfected with the LL-37 expressed and secreted the peptide. Secreted LL-37 inhibited viral binding in vitro but was insufficient to protect cells completely from HSV-1 infection. Nevertheless, secreted LL-37 reduced both the incidence of plaque formation and plaque size. Conclusion: LL-37 released from composite nanoparticle-hydrogel corneal implants and HCEC-produced peptide, both showed anti?HSV-1 activity by blocking binding. However, while both slowed down virus spread, neither was able on its own to completely inhibit the viruses. Translational Relevance: LL-37 releasing hydrogels may have potential utility as corneal substitutes for grafting in HSV-1 infected corneas, possibly in combination with LL-37 producing therapeutic cells.
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| 23. |
- Polisetti, Naresh, et al.
(författare)
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The artificial cornea
- 2013
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Ingår i: Methods in Molecular Biology. - Totowa, NJ : Humana Press. - 1064-3745 .- 1940-6029. ; 1014, s. 45-52
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Human corneal transplantation to date suffers from the shortage of good-quality donor tissue, and in some conditions, allografting is contraindicated. A range of artificial replacements to donor allograft corneas have been developed. These range from keratoprostheses (KPro) that replace basic corneal functions of light transmission and protection to regenerative medicine strategies for regenerating one or more layers of the human cornea. This chapter reviews the advances made in developing artificial corneas or more accurately, artificial alternatives to donor allograft corneas for ocular application.
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| 24. |
- Rafat, Mehrdad, et al.
(författare)
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Highly elastic epoxycross‐linked collagen hydrogels for corneal tissueengineering
- 2012
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Ingår i: Acta Ophthalmologica; Special Issue: Abstracts from the 2012 European Association for Vision and Eye Research Conference, Volume 90, Issue Supplement s249, page 0, September 2012. - : John Wiley & Sons.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Our objective is to develop novel materials that support the regeneration of diseased or damaged corneas. Despite the promising clinical results that we previously reported on biosynthetic corneas, more robust and elastic materials are required to withstand the adverse host conditions faced for high risk transplantation in severely damaged or diseased corneas. This presentation will provide details on an epoxy cross-linked collagen-based scaffold with enhanced mechanical properties.Methods We have developed a range of collagen-based materials as mimics of the cell-free corneal stromal extracellular matrix. In this study, cross-linked polymer networks of collagen hydrogels were prepared using a hybrid of 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE) and carbodiimides (e.g. EDC-NHS) as cross-linkers. Briefly, 10w/w% porcine collagen type I was mixed in a T-piece system at various compositions and pH, e.g. pH 5, pH 11, and incorporated with laminin adhesive peptides (YIGSR, and IKVAV). Promising material formulations were tested for their physiochemical properties (e.g. mechanical, optical, water uptake, FTIR, and thermal degradation) and physiological properties (e.g. interactions with corneal cells, and biodegradation).Results The hybrid BDDGE hydrogels demonstrated improved mechanical properties and degree of cross-linking while maintaining their optical clarity and biocompatibility compared to controls (e.g. EDC/NHS-crosslinked hydrogels). Incorporation of laminin-derived cell-adhesive peptide (IKVAV) demonstrated significant increase in corneal cells (HCECs) proliferation compared to controls.Conclusion The hybrid BDDGE-crosslinked collagen-based hydrogels have the potential for use as tissue-engineered corneal substitutes.
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| 25. |
- Simpson, Fiona C., et al.
(författare)
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Collagen analogs with phosphorylcholine are inflammation-suppressing scaffolds for corneal regeneration from alkali burns in mini-pigs
- 2021
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Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Nature Research. - 2399-3642. ; 4:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The long-term survival of biomaterial implants is often hampered by surgery-induced inflammation that can lead to graft failure. Considering that most corneas receiving grafts are either pathological or inflamed before implantation, the risk of rejection is heightened. Here, we show that bioengineered, fully synthetic, and robust corneal implants can be manufactured from a collagen analog (collagen-like peptide-polyethylene glycol hybrid, CLP-PEG) and inflammation-suppressing polymeric 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) when stabilized with the triazine-based crosslinker 4-(4,6-Dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium chloride. The resulting CLP-PEG-MPC implants led to reduced corneal swelling, haze, and neovascularization in comparison to CLP-PEG only implants when grafted into a mini-pig cornea alkali burn model of inflammation over 12 months. Implants incorporating MPC allowed for faster nerve regeneration and recovery of corneal sensation. CLP-PEG-MPC implants appear to be at a more advanced stage of regeneration than the CLP-PEG only implants, as evidenced by the presence of higher amounts of cornea-specific type V collagen, and a corresponding decrease in the presence of extracellular vesicles and exosomes in the corneal stroma, in keeping with the amounts present in healthy, unoperated corneas. Simpson, McTiernan et al. develop fully synthetic corneal implants. The resulting CLP-PEG-MPC implants show reduced corneal swelling, haze, and neovascularization compared to CLP-PEG only implants when grafted into a mini-pig cornea alkali burn model of inflammation over 12 months. This study suggests the superiority of CLP-PEG-MPC implants over the CLP-PEG only implants.
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| 26. |
- Wickham, Abeni M., et al.
(författare)
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Polycaprolactone–thiophene-conjugated carbon nanotube meshes as scaffolds for cardiac progenitor cells
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. Part B - Applied biomaterials. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1552-4973 .- 1552-4981. ; 102:7, s. 1553-1561
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The myocardium is unable to regenerate itself after infarct, resulting in scarring and thinning of the heart wall. Our objective was to develop a patch to buttress and bypass the scarred area, while allowing regeneration by incorporated cardiac stem/progenitor cells (CPCs). Polycaprolactone (PCL) was fabricated as both sheets by solvent casting, and fibrous meshes by electrospinning, as potential patches, to determine the role of topology in proliferation and phenotypic changes to the CPCs. Thiophene-conjugated carbon nanotubes (T-CNTs) were incorporated to enhance the mechanical strength. We showed that freshly isolated CPCs from murine hearts neither attached nor spread on the PCL sheets, both with and without T-CNT. As electrospun meshes, however, both PCL and PCL/T-CNT supported CPC adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. The incorporation of T-CNT into PCL resulted in a significant increase in mechanical strength but no morphological changes to the meshes. In turn, proliferation, but not differentiation, of CPCs into cardiomyocytes was enhanced in T-CNT containing meshes. We have shown that changing the topology of PCL, a known hydrophobic material, dramatically altered its properties, in this case, allowing CPCs to survive and differentiate. With further development, PCL/T-CNT meshes or similar patches may become a viable strategy to aid restoration of the postmyocardial infarction myocardium.
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