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CC BY-NC 4.0 · Arch Plast Surg 2013; 40(06): 676-686
DOI: 10.5999/aps.2013.40.6.676
Original Article

Latent Transforming Growth Factor-beta1 Functionalised Electrospun Scaffolds Promote Human Cartilage Differentiation: Towards an Engineered Cartilage Construct

Authors

  • Erh-Hsuin Lim

    Department of Materials and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
    The Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

  • Jose Paulo Sardinha

    Department of Materials and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
    Instituto Superior Técnico and ICEMS, Lisbon, Portugal

  • Simon Myers

    The Blizard Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK

  • Molly Stevens

    Department of Materials and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Background To overcome the potential drawbacks of a short half-life and dose-related adverse effects of using active transforming growth factor-beta 1 for cartilage engineering, a cell-mediated latent growth factor activation strategy was developed incorporating latent transforming growth factor-β1 (LTGF) into an electrospun poly(L-lactide) scaffold.

Methods The electrospun scaffold was surface modified with NH3 plasma and biofunctionalised with LTGF to produce both random and orientated biofunctionalised electrospun scaffolds. Scaffold surface chemical analysis and growth factor bioavailability assays were performed. In vitro biocompatibility and human nasal chondrocyte gene expression with these biofunctionalised electrospun scaffold templates were assessed. In vivo chondrogenic activity and chondrocyte gene expression were evaluated in athymic rats.

Results Chemical analysis demonstrated that LTGF anchored to the scaffolds was available for enzymatic, chemical and cell activation. The biofunctionalised scaffolds were non-toxic. Gene expression suggested chondrocyte re-differentiation after 14 days in culture. By 6 weeks, the implanted biofunctionalised scaffolds had induced highly passaged chondrocytes to re-express Col2A1 and produce type II collagen.

Conclusions We have demonstrated a proof of concept for cell-mediated activation of anchored growth factors using a novel biofunctionalised scaffold in cartilage engineering. This presents a platform for development of protein delivery systems and for tissue engineering.

Keywords

Transforming growth factor beta1 - Guided tissue regeneration - Biomimetics - Tissue scaffolds - Cartilage

The concept of this article has been granted an international (WO/2009/144457) and a US patent (US20110123592).


This article was presented at the Society of Academic Research Surgery on Jan 6, 2010 in London, UK and BAPRAS Winter Scientific Meeting on December 5, 2008 in London, UK. This study was awarded the Gibson Prize for the best paper presented at SARS 2010.




Publication History

Received: 03 June 2013

Accepted: 05 September 2013

Article published online:
01 May 2022

© 2013. The Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, permitting unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)

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