Graduate Institute of Biomedical Science, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
Translational Medicine Research, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
Cells. 2021 Oct 22;10(11):2854. doi: 10.3390/cells10112854.
A nanocomposite composed of polyethylene glycol (PEG) incorporated with various concentrations (~17.4, ~43.5, ~174 ppm) of gold nanoparticles (Au) was created to investigate its biocompatibility and biological performance in vitro and in vivo. First, surface topography and chemical composition was determined through UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), free radical scavenging ability, and water contact angle measurement. Additionally, the diameters of the PEG-Au nanocomposites were also evaluated through dynamic light scattering (DLS) assay. According to the results, PEG containing 43.5 ppm of Au demonstrated superior biocompatibility and biological properties for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as well as superior osteogenic differentiation, adipocyte differentiation, and, particularly, neuronal differentiation. Indeed, PEG-Au 43.5 ppm induced better cell adhesion, proliferation and migration in MSCs. The higher expression of the SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis may be associated with MMPs activation and may have also promoted the differentiation capacity of MSCs. Moreover, it also prevented MSCs from apoptosis and inhibited macrophage and platelet activation, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory, biocompatibility, and endothelialization capacity of PEG-Au was measured in a rat model. After implanting the nanocomposites into rats subcutaneously for 4 weeks, PEG-Au 43.5 ppm was able to enhance the anti-immune response through inhibiting CD86 expression (M1 polarization), while also reducing leukocyte infiltration (CD45). Moreover, PEG-Au 43.5 ppm facilitated CD31 expression and anti-fibrosis ability. Above all, the PEG-Au nanocomposite was evidenced to strengthen the differentiation of MSCs into various cells, including fat, vessel, and bone tissue and, particularly, nerve cells. This research has elucidated that PEG combined with the appropriate amount of Au nanoparticles could become a potential biomaterial able to cooperate with MSCs for tissue regeneration engineering.
一种由聚乙二醇（PEG）与不同浓度（17.4、43.5、~174ppm）的金纳米粒子（Au）组成的纳米复合材料被创造出来，以研究其在体外和体内的生物相容性和生物学性能。首先，通过紫外-可见光谱（UV-Vis）、傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）、原子力显微镜（AFM）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、自由基清除能力和水接触角测量来确定表面形貌和化学组成。此外，还通过动态光散射（DLS）法评估了 PEG-Au 纳米复合材料的粒径。结果表明，PEG 中含有 43.5ppm 的 Au 对间充质干细胞（MSCs）表现出优异的生物相容性和生物学特性，并且具有优异的成骨分化、脂肪细胞分化，特别是神经元分化能力。事实上，PEG-Au 43.5ppm 诱导 MSCs 更好的细胞黏附、增殖和迁移。SDF-1α/CXCR4 轴的高表达可能与 MMPs 的激活有关，也可能促进了 MSCs 的分化能力。此外，它还能防止 MSCs 凋亡，抑制巨噬细胞和血小板活化以及活性氧（ROS）的产生。此外，还在大鼠模型中测量了 PEG-Au 的抗炎、生物相容性和内皮化能力。将纳米复合材料植入大鼠皮下 4 周后，PEG-Au 43.5ppm 能够通过抑制 CD86 表达（M1 极化）增强免疫反应，同时减少白细胞浸润（CD45）。此外，PEG-Au 43.5ppm 促进了 CD31 的表达和抗纤维化能力。综上所述，PEG-Au 纳米复合材料被证明可以增强 MSCs 向脂肪、血管和骨组织，特别是神经细胞的各种细胞分化。这项研究表明，PEG 与适量的 Au 纳米粒子结合可能成为一种有潜力的生物材料，能够与 MSCs 合作进行组织再生工程。
