Abstract
Nanocomposite scaffolds combining carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) with a biocompatible matrix are able to favor the neuronal differentiation and growth of a number of cell types, because they mimic neural-tissue nanotopography and/or conductivity. We performed comparative analysis of biomimetic scaffolds with poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) matrix and three different p-methoxyphenyl functionalized carbon nanofillers, namely, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon nanohorns (CNHs), and reduced graphene oxide (RGO), dispersed at varying concentrations. qRT-PCR analysis of the modulation of neuronal markers in human circulating multipotent cells cultured on nanocomposite scaffolds showed high variability in their expression patterns depending on the scaffolds’ inhomogeneities. Local stimuli variation could result in a multi- to oligopotency shift and commitment towards multiple cell lineages, which was assessed by the qRT-PCR profiling of markers for neural, adipogenic, and myogenic cell lineages. Less conductive scaffolds, i.e., bare poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)-, CNH-, and RGO-based nanocomposites, appeared to boost the expression of myogenic-lineage marker genes. Moreover, scaffolds are much more effective on early commitment than in subsequent differentiation. This work suggests that biomimetic PLLA carbon-nanomaterial (PLLA-CNM) scaffolds combined with multipotent autologous cells can represent a powerful tool in the regenerative medicine of multiple tissue types, opening the route to next analyses with specific and standardized scaffold features.
Highlights
The challenges that regenerative medicine faces depend on the complexity of the tissue and organs to be repaired
Repair strategies must consider whether the damage has impaired either peripheral nerves or the central nervous system (CNS), which consists of the brain, cerebellum, and spinal cord
Given that different carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) may vary in the individual weight of each cue they can provide, we developed novel poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) composite scaffolds with CNM fillers showing different nanotopography and conductivity
Summary
The challenges that regenerative medicine faces depend on the complexity of the tissue and organs to be repaired. We aimed at investigating how the variation of multiple topological stimuli onto hCMCs could eventually result in their commitment towards cell lineages other than neuronal In these experiments, we found that less conductive scaffolds, i.e., bare PLLA, CNH- and RGO-based nanocomposites enhance the expression of myogenic marker genes in hCMCs, while they are not effective on myoblast-to-myotube differentiation
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