The goal is to develop a cell-based technology that will allow engineering vascularized tissues in vivo by using postnatal progenitor cells that can be obtained from patients by non-invasive means. In particular, this proposal will focus on the combined use of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) and human blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to form adipose tissue in vivo. The concept to test is whether implants containing highly purified and defined MPCs and EPCs will result in specialized vascularized tissues upon implantation in vivo. We hypothesize that for this to happen, 1) both MPCs and EPCs need first to create a vascular network that will allow blood perfusion through the implants;and 2) this vascularization will promote MPCs that have not assembled into the vascular network to undergo appropriate tissue development by adopting the phenotype ofthe surrounding tissue at the site of implantation. In this proposal, we will determine key parameters to accelerate the vasculogenic process to a time frame of 24-48 hours using the in vivo model we have established with human EPCs and MPCs. Next, we will determine whether the adipocytes found in the implants are human in origin or whether they are recruited into the implants from the host as part of an endogenous tissue repair process once a functional vascular network is provided. With this information, we will implement strategies to enhance the process of in vivo differentiation with the aim of having fully functional tissues. Finally, we will test this cell-based technology by evaluating whether we can create long-lasting adipose tissue pads that present low volume reduction over time. The expenmental approaches to address these aims include: 1) in vivo imaging of blood perfusion in the implants using luciferase-based bioluminescence 2) GFP labeling of implanted cells to track their specific contribution to the resulting tissues;3) confocal microscopy to evaluate implants through immunofluorescence staining. We envision this two-cell, two-step system as an enabling technology that can be applied to many different tissues wherein functional blood vessels are essential.

Public Health Relevance

This is an enabling technology that can be applied to regeneration of tissues/prgans wherein functional blood vessels are essential. This proposal will focus on formation of adipose tissue, but it will be applicable to many aspects of regenerative medicine, including tissue-engineering and in situ therapeutic vascularization.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Type
Research Transition Award (R00)
Project #
5R00EB009096-04
Application #
8315990
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (NSS)
Program Officer
Hunziker, Rosemarie
Project Start
2009-08-15
Project End
2014-07-31
Budget Start
2012-08-01
Budget End
2013-07-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$244,341
Indirect Cost
$103,915
Name
Children's Hospital Boston
Department
Type
DUNS #
076593722
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Chuang, Chia-Hui; Lin, Ruei-Zeng; Melero-Martin, Juan M et al. (2018) Comparison of covalently and physically cross-linked collagen hydrogels on mediating vascular network formation for engineering adipose tissue. Artif Cells Nanomed Biotechnol :1-14
Lin, Ruei-Zeng; Lee, Chin Nien; Moreno-Luna, Rafael et al. (2017) Host non-inflammatory neutrophils mediate the engraftment of bioengineered vascular networks. Nat Biomed Eng 1:
Kang, Kyu-Tae; Lin, Ruei-Zeng; Kuppermann, David et al. (2017) Endothelial colony forming cells and mesenchymal progenitor cells form blood vessels and increase blood flow in ischemic muscle. Sci Rep 7:770
Lin, Ruei-Zeng; Hatch, Adam; Antontsev, Victor G et al. (2015) Microfluidic capture of endothelial colony-forming cells from human adult peripheral blood: phenotypic and functional validation in vivo. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 21:274-83
Kuo, Kuan-Chih; Lin, Ruei-Zeng; Tien, Han-Wen et al. (2015) Bioengineering vascularized tissue constructs using an injectable cell-laden enzymatically crosslinked collagen hydrogel derived from dermal extracellular matrix. Acta Biomater 27:151-166
Chuang, Chia-Hui; Lin, Ruei-Zeng; Tien, Han-Wen et al. (2015) Enzymatic regulation of functional vascular networks using gelatin hydrogels. Acta Biomater 19:85-99
Moreno-Luna, Rafael; Muñoz-Hernandez, Rocio; Lin, Ruei-Zeng et al. (2014) Maternal body-mass index and cord blood circulating endothelial colony-forming cells. J Pediatr 164:566-571
Muñoz-Hernandez, Rocio; Miranda, Maria L; Stiefel, Pablo et al. (2014) Decreased level of cord blood circulating endothelial colony-forming cells in preeclampsia. Hypertension 64:165-71
Lin, Ruei-Zeng; Moreno-Luna, Rafael; Li, Dan et al. (2014) Human endothelial colony-forming cells serve as trophic mediators for mesenchymal stem cell engraftment via paracrine signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 111:10137-42
Lin, Ruei-Zeng; Chen, Ying-Chieh; Moreno-Luna, Rafael et al. (2013) Transdermal regulation of vascular network bioengineering using a photopolymerizable methacrylated gelatin hydrogel. Biomaterials 34:6785-96

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