Cardiac extracellular matrix hydrogel enriched with polyethylene glycol presents improved gelation time and increased on-target site retention of extracellular vesicles

Stem-cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have demonstrated multiple beneficial effects in preclinical models of cardiac diseases. However, poor retention at the target site may limit their therapeutic efficacy. Cardiac extracellular matrix hydrogels (cECMH) seem promising as drug-delivery mate...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Gómez-Cid, L., López-Donaire, M. L., Velasco, Diego, Marín, V., González, M. I., Salinas, B., Cussó, Lorena, García, Á., Bravo, S. B., Fernández-Santos, María Eugenia, Elvira, Carlos, Sierra, J., Arroba, E., Bañares, Rafael, Grigorian-Shamagian, L., Fernández-Avilés, Francisco
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/253650
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/253650
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Extracellular vesicles
Hydrogel
Extracellular matrix
Drug delivery
Polyethylene glycol
Cardiac regenerative therap
Descripción
Sumario:Stem-cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have demonstrated multiple beneficial effects in preclinical models of cardiac diseases. However, poor retention at the target site may limit their therapeutic efficacy. Cardiac extracellular matrix hydrogels (cECMH) seem promising as drug-delivery materials and could improve the retention of EVs, but may be limited by their long gelation time and soft mechanical properties. Our objective was to develop and characterize an optimized product combining cECMH, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and EVs (EVs–PEG–cECMH) in an attempt to overcome their individual limitations: long gelation time of the cECMH and poor retention of the EVs. The new combined product presented improved physicochemical properties (60% reduction in half gelation time, p < 0.001, and threefold increase in storage modulus, p < 0.01, vs. cECMH alone), while preserving injectability and biodegradability. It also maintained in vitro bioactivity of its individual components (55% reduction in cellular senescence vs. serum-free medium, p < 0.001, similar to EVs and cECMH alone) and increased on-site retention in vivo (fourfold increase vs. EVs alone, p < 0.05). In conclusion, the combination of EVs–PEG–cECMH is a potential multipronged product with improved gelation time and mechanical properties, increased on-site retention, and maintained bioactivity that, all together, may translate into boosted therapeutic efficacy.