Functional Validation of a New Alginate-based Hydrogel Scaffold Combined with Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Rat Hard Palate Cleft Model

• Published in: Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open Vol. 8; no. 4; p. e2743
• Main Authors: Naudot, Marie, Davrou, Julien, Djebara, Az-Eddine, Barre, Anaïs, Lavagen, Nolwenn, Lardière, Sandrine, Azdad, Soufiane Zakaria, Zabijak, Luciane, Lack, Stéphane, Devauchelle, Bernard, Marolleau, Jean-Pierre, Le Ricousse, Sophie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons 01-04-2020; Copyright The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. All rights reserved; Wolters Kluwer; Wolters Kluwer Health
• Subjects: Experimental; Life Sciences
• ISSN: 2169-7574; 2169-7574
• DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000002743

BACKGROUND:One of the major difficulties in cleft palate repair is the requirement for several surgical procedures and autologous bone grafting to form a bony bridge across the cleft defect. Engineered tissue, composed of a biomaterial scaffold and multipotent stem cells, may be a useful alternative for minimizing the non-negligible risk of donor site morbidity. The present study was designed to confirm the healing and osteogenic properties of a novel alginate-based hydrogel in palate repair.
METHODS:Matrix constructs, seeded with allogeneic bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) or not, were incorporated into a surgically created, critical-sized cleft palate defect in the rat. Control with no scaffold was also tested. Bone formation was assessed using microcomputed tomography at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12 and a histologic analysis at week 12.
RESULTS:At 12 weeks, the proportion of bone filling associated with the use of hydrogel scaffold alone did not differ significantly from the values observed in the scaffold-free experiment (61.01% ± 5.288% versus 36.91% ± 5.132%; p = 0.1620). The addition of BM-MSCs stimulated bone formation not only at the margin of the defect but also in the center of the implant.
CONCLUSIONS:In a relevant in vivo model of cleft palate in the rat, we confirmed the alginate-based hydrogel’s biocompatibility and real advantages for tissue healing. Addition of BM-MSCs stimulated bone formation in the center of the implant, demonstrating the new biomaterial’s potential for use as a bone substitute grafting material for cleft palate repair.