RESUMEN

Human vocal folds (VF), a pair of small, soft tissues in the larynx, have a layered mucosal structure with unique mechanical strength to support high-level tissue deformation by phonation. Severe pathological changes to VF have causes including surgery, trauma, age-related atrophy, and radiation, and lead to partial or complete communication loss and difficulty in breathing and swallowing. VF glottal insufficiency requires injectable VF biomaterials such as hyaluronan, calcium hydroxyapatite, and autologous fat to augment VF functions. Although these biomaterials provide an effective short-term solution, significant variations in patient response and requirements of repeat reinjection remain notable challenges in clinical practice. Tissue engineering strategies have been actively explored in the search of an injectable biomaterial that possesses the capacity to match native tissue's material properties while promoting permanent tissue regeneration. This review aims to assess the current status of biomaterial development in VF tissue engineering. The focus will be on examining state-of-the-art techniques including modification with bioactive molecules, cell encapsulation, composite materials, as well as, in situ crosslinking with click chemistry. We will discuss potential opportunities that can further leverage these engineering techniques in the advancement of VF injectable biomaterials.

RESUMEN

Decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) is a promising material for tissue engineering applications. Tissue-specific dECM is often seen as a favorable material that recapitulates a native-like microenvironment for cellular remodeling. However, the minute quantity of dECM derivable from small organs like the vocal fold (VF) hampers manufacturing scalability. Small intestinal submucosa (SIS), a commercial product with proven regenerative capacity, may be a viable option for VF applications. This study aims to compare dECM hydrogels derived from SIS or VF tissue with respect to protein content and functionality using mass spectrometry-based proteomics and in vitro studies. Proteomic analysis reveals that VF and SIS dECM share 75% of core matrisome proteins. Although VF dECM proteins have greater overlap with native VF, SIS dECM shows less cross-sample variability. Following decellularization, significant reductions of soluble collagen (61%), elastin (81%), and hyaluronan (44%) are noted in VF dECM. SIS dECM contains comparable elastin and hyaluronan but 67% greater soluble collagen than VF dECM. Cells deposit more neo-collagen on SIS than VF-dECM hydrogels, whereas neo-elastin (~50 µg/scaffold) and neo-hyaluronan (~ 6 µg/scaffold) are comparable between the two hydrogels. Overall, SIS dECM possesses reasonably similar proteomic profile and regenerative capacity to VF dECM. SIS dECM is considered a promising alternative for dECM-derived biomaterials for VF regeneration.

RESUMEN

Extracellular matrix is rich in biomolecules including structural proteins, glycosaminoglycans, and small molecules that are important for the maintenance and repair of tissue. Decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) is expected to retain these key biomolecules and makes it a promising biomaterial candidate for regenerative medicine applications. To date, dECM-particle based biomaterials have been developed to engineer over 15 tissue types or organs, with the ultimate goal of mimicking specific biological and physical properties of the native tissue. The most common scaffold types are injectable hydrogels, electrospun scaffolds and bioprinted scaffolds. The purpose of this review paper is to highlight key challenges, fabrication methods and progress made for each tissue type, along with the discussion of other elements that are integral to push dECM biomaterials towards effective and specialized tissue repair.

Asunto(s)

Materiales Biocompatibles , Medicina Regenerativa , Materiales Biocompatibles/química , Matriz Extracelular Descelularizada , Matriz Extracelular/metabolismo , Glicosaminoglicanos/metabolismo , Hidrogeles/metabolismo , Hidrogeles/uso terapéutico , Ingeniería de Tejidos , Andamios del Tejido/química

RESUMEN

Due to the global prevalence of Chlamydiae, exploring studies of diverse antichlamydial compounds is important in the development of effective treatment strategies and global infectious disease management. Chlamydiaceae is the most widely known bacterial family of the Chlamydiae order. Among the species in the family Chlamydiaceae, Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae cause common human diseases, while Chlamydia abortus, Chlamydia psittaci, and Chlamydia suis represent zoonotic threats or are endemic in human food sources. Although chlamydial infections are currently manageable in human populations, chlamydial infections in livestock are endemic and there is significant difficulty achieving effective treatment. To combat the spread of Chlamydiaceae in humans and other hosts, improved methods for treatment and prevention of infection are needed. There exist various studies exploring the potential of natural products for developing new antichlamydial treatment modalities. Polyphenolic compounds can inhibit chlamydial growth by membrane disruption, reestablishment of host cell apoptosis, or improving host immune system detection. Fatty acids, monoglycerides, and lipids can disrupt the cell membranes of infective chlamydial elementary bodies (EBs). Peptides can disrupt the cell membranes of chlamydial EBs, and transferrins can inhibit chlamydial EBs from attachment to and permeation through the membranes of host cells. Cellular metabolites and probiotic bacteria can inhibit chlamydial infection by modulating host immune responses and directly inhibiting chlamydial growth. Finally, early stage clinical trials indicate that polyherbal formulations can be effective in treating chlamydial infections. Herein, we review an important body of literature in the field of antichlamydial research.