Collagen II/Hyaluronan/Chondroitin-6-Sulfate Tri-copolymer Scaffold for Nucleus Pulposus Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Introduction This study aims to investigate the bioactivity of collagen II/hyaluronan/chondroitin-6-sulfate tri-copolymer as bionic scaffold for nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue engineering. Materials and Methods Collagen II (C II) (pH 1-2) was mixed with hyaluronan (HyA) and lyophilized to prepare C II/HyA matrices. Chondroitin 6-sulfate (6-CS) was covalently attached to the C II/HyA matrices using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). Then, cells were expanded from rabbit NP and seeded in the tri-copolymer scaffold. Cell-scaffold hybrids were maintained for up to 28 days in culture. Cell viability/proliferation, extracellular matrix (ECM)-related gene expression, and the content of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (s-GAG) were evaluated. Results When cultured for 28 days, the cell-scaffold hybrids maintained active cell viability/proliferation and exhibited a significantly increased s-GAG content. In addition, rabbit NP cells cultured in the scaffold demonstrated a significantly higher level of C II and aggrecan gene expression and a significantly lower level of Collagen I (C I) gene expression when compared with that of monolayer cells. Histological studies and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) further indicated newly secreted ECM deposits in the scaffolds. Conclusion In conclusion, the C II/HyA-CS scaffold may be an alternative material for NP tissue engineering due to its satisfactory bioactivity, and it deserves further in vivo investigation. Disclosure of Interest None declared

The Application of Fiber-Reinforced Materials in Disc Repair

“…Elastin fiber-reinforced hydrogel makes a better performance and can achieve cartilage-like properties [33]. The hyaluronic acid matrix reinforced by cellulose and elastin-like polypeptide fibers with adding collagen, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulfate can obtain a better collision property [34–36]. Although these researches have not reached the stage of tissue fabrication or the in vivo and vitro experiments, the composites' properties got enhancement through the fiber-reinforced technology.…”