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AptoGEL: A 3D Platform for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Homing

Project description

A new biocompatible scaffold for the regeneration of osteochondral lesions

Osteochondral (OC) lesions, if left untreated, can lead to osteoarthritic joint disease, a major source of disability worldwide. Current surgical approaches employed to treat cartilage lesions such as microfractures rely on stem cell migration for successful tissue regeneration. The EU-funded AptoGEL project proposes to develop a scaffold to induce stem cell migration and improve clinical outcome. The scaffold comprises a microporous hyaluronic acid hydrogel modified with peptides and the specific aptamer Apt19S, which exhibits a high affinity for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This advanced biocompatible material encompasses key properties needed for a complete regeneration of OC lesions.

Objective

It is estimated that about 0.5% of the world’s population will require an articular cartilage (AC) intervention at some point in their life. Current treatment options for osteochondral (OC) lesions are only marginally successful, and if left untreated, lead to osteoarthritic (OA) joint disease, one of the major sources of disability world-wide. Many of the common surgical approaches to treat cartilage lesions like, microfracture (MF), are dependent on the efficient migration of cells from the underlying subchondral bone (SB) to ensure successful regeneration of the tissue. However, the extent of cell migration and hence the clinical outcome, is highly variable. To overcome this critical limitation, a scaffold is proposed which uses two key mechanisms to induce stem cell migration. Firstly, the scaffold is composed of macroporous annealed particle (MAP) hydrogels, whose void space naturally facilitates endogenous the migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Secondly, the microgels are modified with a specific aptamer, Apt19S, which has been shown to have high affinity to MSCs. Specifically in this project; hyaluronic acid (HA) will be triple-modified with methacrylate groups, transglutaminase (TG)-sensitive peptides and the Apt19S aptamer to produce AptoGEL, a new and exciting material with key properties needed for OC regeneration. We hypothesize this advanced, yet biocompatible material, will provide an ideal 3D environment for promoting cell migration and differentiation leading to a more fully functional OC repair

Keywords

Coordinator

EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
Net EU contribution
€ 191 149,44
Address
Raemistrasse 101
8092 Zuerich
Switzerland

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Region
Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 191 149,44