Effect of perfluorotributylamine-enriched alginate on nucleus pulposus cell: Implications for intervertebral disc regeneration

• Published in: Biomaterials 2016-03, Vol.82, p.34-47
• Main Authors: Sun, Zhen, Luo, Beier, Liu, Zhongyang, Huang, Liangliang, Liu, Bing, Ma, Teng, Gao, Bo, Liu, Zhi-Heng, Chen, Yu-Fei, Huang, Jing-Hui, Luo, Zhuojing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advanced Basic Science; Alginate; Alginates; Alginates - chemistry; Animals; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Degeneration; Dentistry; Discs; Electrochemical machining; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Fluorocarbons - chemistry; Glucuronic Acid - chemistry; Hexuronic Acids - chemistry; Hypoxia; Intervertebral disc; Intervertebral Disc - growth & development; Intervertebral Disc - pathology; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration - pathology; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration - physiopathology; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration - therapy; Intervertebral discs; Materials Testing; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Nuclei; Nucleus pulposus; Oxygen - metabolism; Perfluorotributylamine; Regeneration; Scaffolds; Tissue Scaffolds; Total Disc Replacement; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0142-9612; 1878-5905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.12.013

Abstract Various scaffolds have been attempted for intervertebral disc regeneration, but their effectiveness was limited by loss of nutrients within the scaffolds. It has been suggested that the disc is not severely hypoxic and limited availability of oxygen results in disc degeneration. Therefore, a certain oxygen level might be beneficial for disc regeneration, which has not been given enough attention in previous studies. Here, we used perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA) for the first time as an oxygen regulator in alginate scaffold for disc regeneration in vitro and in vivo . We found that the characteristics of alginate were not affected by PFTBA and the oxygen level of the scaffold was regulated. Then, human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells were cultured in the PFTBA-enriched alginates. It was found that PFTBA could promote NP cell survival and proliferation. In addition, 2.5% PFTBA was capable of regulating extracellular matrix (ECM) to a disc-like tissue graft with little effect on the expression of NP cell markers. Finally, 2.5% PFTBA-enriched alginate was found to restore the disc height and the ECM in a mouse disc degeneration model, indicating its beneficial effect on alleviating disc degeneration. These findings highlight the promising application of PFTBA in further intervertebral disc regeneration.