Enhanced mesenchymal stromal cell recruitment via natural killer cells by incorporation of inflammatory signals in biomaterials

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2012

Authors

Almeida, CR (Author) Other; Vasconcelos, DP (Author) Other; Goncalves, RM (Author) ICBAS; Mário Adolfo Barbosa (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Journal of the Royal Society Interface

Vol. 9

Pages: 261-271

ISSN: 1742-5689

Publisher: The Royal Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 52 Citations

Scopus - 55 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-D3E

DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2011.0357

Abstract (EN): An exacerbated inflammatory response questions biomaterial biocompatibility, but on the other hand, inflammation has a central role in the regulation of tissue regeneration. Therefore, it may be argued that an 'ideal' inflammatory response is crucial to achieve efficient tissue repair/regeneration. Natural killer (NK) cells, being one of the first populations arriving at an injury site, can have an important role in regulating bone repair/regeneration, particularly through interactions with mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). Here, we studied how biomaterials designed to incorporate inflammatory signals affected NK cell behaviour and NK cell-MSC interactions. Adsorption of the pro-inflammatory molecule fibrinogen (Fg) to chitosan films led to a 1.5-fold increase in adhesion of peripheral blood human NK cells, without an increase in cytokine secretion. Most importantly, it was found that NK cells are capable of stimulating a threefold increase in human bone marrow MSC invasion, a key event taking place in tissue repair, but did not affect the expression of the differentiation marker alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Of significant importance, this NK cell-mediated MSC recruitment was modulated by Fg adsorption. Designing novel biomaterials leading to rational modulation of the inflammatory response is proposed as an alternative to current bone regeneration strategies.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11