(WHS-P46) Hyaluronic acid based adipose tissue derived extracellular matrix scaffold (Scaffiller) in wound healing: Histological and immunohistochemical study
Friday, May 17, 2024
7:30 AM – 5:00 PM East Coast USA Time
Background Adipose tissue is considered the most accessible and optimal source of extracellular matrix (ECM) products in clinical settings. In our prior study, we evaluated the effectiveness of human adipose tissue-derived ECM (adECM) sheets as a wound dressing material. To enhance healing potential and cost-effectiveness, we modified adECM sheets by adjusting ECM concentration and incorporating crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) Adipose tissue was obtained from healthy donors, processed, and casted into ECM sheets. Methods Crosslinked HA was added to create ECM-HA sheets (Scaffiller, Medikan, Korea). In vitro analysis involved seeding adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) onto porous ECM-HA sheets and evaluating cell survival rate and cytokine array after 3 days. In vivo efficacy was assessed by applying ECM-HA sheets to full-thickness wounds in a rat model, with HA-based dressing and adECM sheets as control groups. Re-epithelialization and collagen deposition were examined through histopathological examinations, while immunohistochemistry was used to assess CD31, alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and Tenascin C expression as contributing factors to wound healing. Results The extracted ECM components accounted for approximately 5% of the original tissue volume, with ECM-HA sheet production efficiency being six times higher than adECM sheet. In vitro analysis revealed favorable ASC survival rates and increased angiogenetic and bioactive cytokine levels in ECM-HA sheet. Macroscopic evaluation showed enhanced healing rates, while histological analysis demonstrated improved epithelialization, thicker dermis, increased collagen deposition, and enhanced vascularity in the ECM-HA group. Notably, decreased α-SMA expression and increased Tenascin C expression were observed in the ECM-HA group. Conclusion Our study successfully fabricated ECM-HA sheets incorporating adECM and HA, resulting in improved material stability, cost-effectiveness. ECM-HA sheets exhibited increased growth factor production, improved wound healing rates, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and reduced myofibroblast activity. ECM-HA sheets hold promise as scaffolds for adipose-derived stem cells, showcasing significant therapeutic potential for wound healing applications.