Volume 17, Issue 40 2103244
Research Article

Endogenous Stem Cell-Based In Situ Tissue Regeneration Using Electrostatically Interactive Hydrogel with a Newly Discovered Substance P Analog and VEGF-Mimicking Peptide

Seung Hun Park

Seung Hun Park

Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Korea

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Hyeon Jin Ju

Hyeon Jin Ju

Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Korea

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Yun Bae Ji

Yun Bae Ji

Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Korea

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Masaud Shah

Masaud Shah

Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Korea

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Byoung Hyun Min

Byoung Hyun Min

Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Korea

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Hak Soo Choi

Hak Soo Choi

Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02114 USA

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Sangdun Choi

Corresponding Author

Sangdun Choi

Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Korea

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

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Moon Suk Kim

Corresponding Author

Moon Suk Kim

Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499 Korea

Medipolymers, Research Institute, Woncheon Dong 332-2, Suwon, 16522 Korea

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

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First published: 04 September 2021
Citations: 9

Abstract

The use of chemoattractants to promote endogenous stem cell-based in situ tissue regeneration has recently garnered much attention. This study is the first to assess the endogenous stem cell migration using a newly discovered substance P (SP) analog (SP1) by molecular dynamics simulations as an efficient chemoattractant. Further, a novel strategy based on electrostatic interaction using cationic chitosan (Ch) and anionic hyaluronic acid (HA) to prepare an SP1-loaded injectable C/H formulation without SP1 loss is developed. The formulation quickly forms an SP1-loaded C/H hydrogel in situ through in vivo injection. The newly discovered SP1 is found to possess human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) migration-inducing ability that is approximately two to three times higher than that of the existing SP. The designed VEGF-mimicking peptide (VP) chemically reacts with the hydrogel (C/H-VP) to sustain the release of VP, thus inducing vasculogenic differentiation of the hMSCs that migrate toward the C/H-VP hydrogel. Similarly, in animal experiments, SP1 attracts a large number of hMSCs toward the C/H-VP hydrogel, after which VP induces vasculogenic differentiation. Collectively, these findings indicate that SP1-loaded C/H-VP hydrogels are a promising strategy to facilitate endogenous stem cell-based in situ tissue regeneration.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

Research data are not shared.

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